Imported human brucellosis in Belgium: bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015

Delphine Hanot Mambres; Samira Boarbi; Patrick Michel; Nora Bouker; Luisa Escobar-Calle; Damien Desqueper; Tiziano Fancello; Marjan Van Esbroeck; Jacques Godfroid; David Fretin; Marcella Mori

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0174756

Imported human brucellosis in Belgium: bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015

Delphine Hanot Mambres, Samira Boarbi, Patrick Michel, Nora Bouker, Luisa Escobar-Calle, Damien Desqueper, Tiziano Fancello, Marjan Van Esbroeck, Jacques Godfroid, David Fretin, Marcella Mori

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize by classical biotyping and Multi-Locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) all Brucella spp. derived from human cases in Belgium from 1996 to 2015. Final goals were to determine the species and biovar, to trace-back on genetic grounds the origin of each strain when patient history and risk factors were missing, and to survey for particular trends at the national level.

METHODS: A total of 37 Brucella strains, isolated from 37 patients in Belgium, were analyzed by both classical biotyping and MLVA, and the genetic patterns compared to those of human strains isolated worldwide.

RESULTS: Classical biotyping revealed that isolates were mainly Brucella melitensis. Most of them belonged to biovar 3, the most abundant biovar in the Mediterranean region. MLVA confirmed that Brucella melitensis is too diverse in VNTRs to be able to make clusters associated to each biovar, but it allowed retrieving precious epidemiological information. The analysis highlighted the imported nature of the strains from all over the world with a dominant part from the Mediterranean countries. Findings of the MLVA11 testing were in line with the travel history of patients coming from Italy, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru. The analysis was particularly useful because it suggested the geographical origin of the infection for 12/16 patients for whom no case history was available.

CONCLUSION: Classical biotyping and MLVA analysis are not exclusive but remain complementary tools for Brucella melitensis strain surveillance. MLVA11 is sufficient for Brucella-free countries such as Belgium to trace the geographical origin of infection, but complete MLVA16 is needed to search for links with endemic areas.

Original language	English
Article number	e0174756
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	12
Issue number	4
Number of pages	15
ISSN	1932-6203
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174756
Publication status	Published - 2017

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title = "Imported human brucellosis in Belgium: bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize by classical biotyping and Multi-Locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) all Brucella spp. derived from human cases in Belgium from 1996 to 2015. Final goals were to determine the species and biovar, to trace-back on genetic grounds the origin of each strain when patient history and risk factors were missing, and to survey for particular trends at the national level.METHODS: A total of 37 Brucella strains, isolated from 37 patients in Belgium, were analyzed by both classical biotyping and MLVA, and the genetic patterns compared to those of human strains isolated worldwide.RESULTS: Classical biotyping revealed that isolates were mainly Brucella melitensis. Most of them belonged to biovar 3, the most abundant biovar in the Mediterranean region. MLVA confirmed that Brucella melitensis is too diverse in VNTRs to be able to make clusters associated to each biovar, but it allowed retrieving precious epidemiological information. The analysis highlighted the imported nature of the strains from all over the world with a dominant part from the Mediterranean countries. Findings of the MLVA11 testing were in line with the travel history of patients coming from Italy, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru. The analysis was particularly useful because it suggested the geographical origin of the infection for 12/16 patients for whom no case history was available.CONCLUSION: Classical biotyping and MLVA analysis are not exclusive but remain complementary tools for Brucella melitensis strain surveillance. MLVA11 is sufficient for Brucella-free countries such as Belgium to trace the geographical origin of infection, but complete MLVA16 is needed to search for links with endemic areas.",

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author = "{Hanot Mambres}, Delphine and Samira Boarbi and Patrick Michel and Nora Bouker and Luisa Escobar-Calle and Damien Desqueper and Tiziano Fancello and {Van Esbroeck}, Marjan and Jacques Godfroid and David Fretin and Marcella Mori",

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T1 - Imported human brucellosis in Belgium

T2 - bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015

AU - Hanot Mambres, Delphine

AU - Boarbi, Samira

AU - Michel, Patrick

AU - Bouker, Nora

AU - Escobar-Calle, Luisa

AU - Desqueper, Damien

AU - Fancello, Tiziano

AU - Van Esbroeck, Marjan

AU - Godfroid, Jacques

AU - Fretin, David

AU - Mori, Marcella

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PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize by classical biotyping and Multi-Locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) all Brucella spp. derived from human cases in Belgium from 1996 to 2015. Final goals were to determine the species and biovar, to trace-back on genetic grounds the origin of each strain when patient history and risk factors were missing, and to survey for particular trends at the national level.METHODS: A total of 37 Brucella strains, isolated from 37 patients in Belgium, were analyzed by both classical biotyping and MLVA, and the genetic patterns compared to those of human strains isolated worldwide.RESULTS: Classical biotyping revealed that isolates were mainly Brucella melitensis. Most of them belonged to biovar 3, the most abundant biovar in the Mediterranean region. MLVA confirmed that Brucella melitensis is too diverse in VNTRs to be able to make clusters associated to each biovar, but it allowed retrieving precious epidemiological information. The analysis highlighted the imported nature of the strains from all over the world with a dominant part from the Mediterranean countries. Findings of the MLVA11 testing were in line with the travel history of patients coming from Italy, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru. The analysis was particularly useful because it suggested the geographical origin of the infection for 12/16 patients for whom no case history was available.CONCLUSION: Classical biotyping and MLVA analysis are not exclusive but remain complementary tools for Brucella melitensis strain surveillance. MLVA11 is sufficient for Brucella-free countries such as Belgium to trace the geographical origin of infection, but complete MLVA16 is needed to search for links with endemic areas.

AB - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize by classical biotyping and Multi-Locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) all Brucella spp. derived from human cases in Belgium from 1996 to 2015. Final goals were to determine the species and biovar, to trace-back on genetic grounds the origin of each strain when patient history and risk factors were missing, and to survey for particular trends at the national level.METHODS: A total of 37 Brucella strains, isolated from 37 patients in Belgium, were analyzed by both classical biotyping and MLVA, and the genetic patterns compared to those of human strains isolated worldwide.RESULTS: Classical biotyping revealed that isolates were mainly Brucella melitensis. Most of them belonged to biovar 3, the most abundant biovar in the Mediterranean region. MLVA confirmed that Brucella melitensis is too diverse in VNTRs to be able to make clusters associated to each biovar, but it allowed retrieving precious epidemiological information. The analysis highlighted the imported nature of the strains from all over the world with a dominant part from the Mediterranean countries. Findings of the MLVA11 testing were in line with the travel history of patients coming from Italy, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru. The analysis was particularly useful because it suggested the geographical origin of the infection for 12/16 patients for whom no case history was available.CONCLUSION: Classical biotyping and MLVA analysis are not exclusive but remain complementary tools for Brucella melitensis strain surveillance. MLVA11 is sufficient for Brucella-free countries such as Belgium to trace the geographical origin of infection, but complete MLVA16 is needed to search for links with endemic areas.

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DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0174756

M3 - A1: Web of Science-article

C2 - 28384245

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 12

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

IS - 4

M1 - e0174756

ER -

Imported human brucellosis in Belgium: bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015

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