Distribution and genetic diversity of suilysin in Streptococcus suis isolated from different diseases of pigs and characterization of the genetic basis of suilysin absence.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus suis is an economically important pathogen of pigs responsible for a variety of diseases including meningitis, septicemia, arthritis, and pneumonia, although little is known about the mechanisms of pathogenesis or virulence factors associated with this organism. Here, we report on the distribution and genetic diversity of the putative virulence factor suilysin, a member of the thiol-activated toxin family of gram-positive bacteria. On the basis of PCR analysis of over 300 isolates of S. suis, the suilysin-encoding gene, sly, was detected in 69.4% of isolates. However, sly was present in a considerably higher proportion of isolates obtained from cases of meningitis, septicemia, and arthritis (>80%) and isolates obtained from asymptomatic tonsillar carriage (>90%) than lung iso

SUBMITTER: King SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC98849 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature