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ABSTRACT: Cronobacter spp. (previously known as Enterobacter sakazakii) is a diverse bacterial genus consisting of seven species: C. sakazakii, C. malonaticus, C. turicensis, C. universalis, C. muytjensii, C. dublinensis and C. condimenti. In this study, we have used a multi locus sequence typing (MLST) approach employing the alleles of 7 genes (atpD, fusA, glnS, gltB, gyrB, infB and ppsA, total length 3036 bp) to investigate the phylogenetic relationship of 325 Cronobacter spp. isolates. Strains were chosen on the basis of their species, geographic and temporal distribution, source and clinical outcome. The earliest strain was isolated from milk powder in 1950, and the earliest clinical strain was isolated in 1953. The existence of seven species was supported by MLST. Intraspecific variation ranged from low diversity in C. sakazakii to extensive diversity within some species such as C. muytjensii and C. dublinensis including evidence of gene conversion between species. The predominant species from clinical sources was found to be C. sakazakii. C. sakazakii sequence type (ST) 4 was the predominant sequence type of cerebral spinal fluid isolates from cases of meningitis.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology 01/2012; · 4.15 Impact Factor
