Authors: Fernanda Monego Franciele Maboni Cristina Krewer Agueda Vargas Mateus Costa Elgion Loreto
Publish Date: 2009/02/10
Volume: 58, Issue: 4, Pages: 399-403
Abstract
This study evaluated the molecular characteristics of Rhodococcus equi isolates obtained from horses by a multiplex PCR assay that amplifies the vap gene family vapA B C D E F G and H A total of 180 R equi isolates were studied from four different sources namely healthy horse feces 112 soil 12 stalls 23 and clinical isolates 33 from horsebreeding farms The technique was performed and confirmed by sequencing of amplified vap gene family controls Thirtytwo 178 of the R equi isolates were positive for the vapA gene and carried at least three other vap genes All 147 isolates from equine feces stalls and soil failed to demonstrate any genes associated with virulenceinducing proteins About 32 970 out of the 33 clinical equine isolates tested positive for the multiplex PCR assay for the vap gene family They demonstrated six molecular profiles 100 featured the vapA vapD and vapG genes 866 vapF 766 vapH 433 vapC 366 vapE and none vapB The most frequent molecular profile was vap A D F G and H where this profile was present in 375 of the strains Moreover there was no molecular epidemiological pattern for R equi isolates that uniquely mapped to each horsebreeding farm studied Our proposed technique allows the identification of eight members of the vap gene family vapA B C D E F G and H It is a practical and efficient method of conducting clinical and epidemiological studies on R equi isolates
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