Identification of Burkholderia thailandensis with novel genotypes in the soil of central Sierra Leone

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019 Jun 14;13(6):e0007402. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007402. eCollection 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Background: The soil-dwelling bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei is the etiological-agent of the neglected and life-threatening emerging infection melioidosis. The distribution of B. pseudomallei in West Africa is unknown. In the present study we aimed to determine whether B. pseudomallei and B. thailandensis are present in the environment of central Sierra Leone.

Methodology/principal findings: In June-July 2017, we conducted an environmental surveillance study-designed in accordance with existing consensus guidelines-in central Sierra Leone. A total of 1,000 soil samples (100 per site) were collected and cultured. B. pseudomallei was not identified in the soil, but we identified seven novel B. thailandensis sequence types with multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses.

Conclusions/significance: The presence of B. pseudomallei was not demonstrated, however, multiple novel B. thailandensis sequence types were identified. More environmental and sequencing studies are needed to further understand the genetic diversity, evolution and virulence of these emerging organisms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Burkholderia / classification*
  • Burkholderia / isolation & purification*
  • Burkholderia Infections
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Genotype*
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sierra Leone
  • Soil Microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) research grant 2018 (to EB), the Amsterdam University Fund (to EB) and Foundation de Drie Lichten, The Netherlands (to EB); WJW is financially supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research [NOW; VIDI grant to WJW, grant number: 91716475]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.