Virulence-related genotypic differences among Bacillus cereus ocular and gastrointestinal isolates and the relationship to endophthalmitis pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacillus cereus (Bc) can cause self-limiting gastrointestinal infections, but when infecting the eye, can cause rapid and irreversible blindness. This study investigated whether clinical ocular and gastrointestinal Bc isolates differed in terms of virulence-related genotypes and endophthalmitis virulence.

Methods

Twenty-eight Bc ocular, gastrointestinal, and laboratory reference isolates were evaluated. Hemolysis assays were performed to assess potential differences in hemolytic activity. The presence of twenty Bc virulence-related genes was assessed by PCR. A subset of ocular and gastrointestinal isolates differing in PCR positivity for 5 virulence genes was compared to strain ATCC14579 in an experimental murine model of endophthalmiti

SUBMITTER: Coburn PS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10722173 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature