Genetic and virulence-phenotype characterization of serotypes 2 and 9 of Streptococcus suis swine isolates Authors Verena Blume Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Inmaculada Luque Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Ana I. Vela Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Carmen Borge Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Alonso Maldonado Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Lucas Domínguez Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Carmen Tarradas Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain José F. Fernández-Garayzábal Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Keywords: Streptoccoccus suis, swine, genetic typing, PFGE, MLST, virulence-related factors Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic characteristics and virulence phenotypes of Streptococcus suis, specifically, in clinical isolates of serotypes 2 and 9 (n = 195), obtained from diverse geographical areas across Spain. Pulsedfield gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing identified 97 genetic profiles, 68% of which were represented by single isolates, indicative of a substantial genetic diversity among the S. suis isolates analyzed. Five PFGE profiles accounted for 33.3% of the isolates and were isolated from 38% of the herds in nine different provinces, indicative of the bacterium’s widespread distribution in the Spanish swine population. Representative isolates of the most prevalent PFGE profiles of both serotypes were subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. The results indicated that serotypes 2 and 9 have distinct genetic backgrounds. Serotype 2 isolates belong to the ST1 complex, a highly successful clone that has spread over most European countries. In accordance with isolates of this complex, most serotype 2 isolates also expressed the phenotype MRP+EF+SLY+. Serotype 9 isolates belong to the ST61 complex, which is distantly related to the widespread European ST87 clone. Also, in contrast to most isolates of the European ST87 clone, which express the large variant MRP*, the majority of serotype 9 isolates (97.9%) did not express the protein. [Int Microbiol 2009; 12(3):161-166] Author Biographies Verena Blume, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Inmaculada Luque, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Ana I. Vela, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Carmen Borge, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Alonso Maldonado, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Lucas Domínguez, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Carmen Tarradas, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain José F. Fernández-Garayzábal, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Animal Health Surveillance Center (VISAVET), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense Univ. of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Downloads PDF Published 2010-01-14 Issue Vol. 12 No. 3 (2009) Section Research Articles License Submission of a manuscript to International Microbiology implies: that the work described has not been published before, including publication in the World Wide Web (except in the form of an Abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis); that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that all the coauthors have agreed to its publication. 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