Molecular Subtyping of Bacillus anthracis and the 2001 Bioterrorism-Associated Anthrax Outbreak, United States

Hoffmaster, Alex R.; Fitzgerald, Collette C.; Ribot, Efrain; Mayer, Leonard W.; Popovic, Tanja

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Molecular Subtyping of Bacillus anthracis and the 2001 Bioterrorism-Associated Anthrax Outbreak, United States

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Oct 2002
By Hoffmaster, Alex R. ; Fitzgerald, Collette C. ; Ribot, Efrain ; ...

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Alternative Title:

Emerg Infect Dis
Personal Author:

Hoffmaster, Alex R. ; Fitzgerald, Collette C. ; Ribot, Efrain ; Mayer, Leonard W. ; Popovic, Tanja
Description:

Molecular subtyping of Bacillus anthracis played an important role in differentiating and identifying strains during the 2001 bioterrorism-associated outbreak. Because B. anthracis has a low level of genetic variability, only a few subtyping methods, with varying reliability, exist. We initially used multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) to subtype 135 B. anthracis isolates associated with the outbreak. All isolates were determined to be of genotype 62, the same as the Ames strain used in laboratories. We sequenced the protective antigen gene (pagA) from 42 representative outbreak isolates and determined they all had a pagA sequence indistinguishable from the Ames strain (PA genotype I). MLVA and pagA sequencing were also used on DNA from clinical specimens, making subtyping B. anthracis possible without an isolate. Use of high-resolution molecular subtyping determined that all outbreak isolates were indistinguishable by the methods used and probably originated from a single source. In addition, subtyping rapidly identified laboratory contaminants and nonoutbreak-related isolates.
Subjects:

Anthrax Bacillus Anthracis Bacterial Typing Techniques Bioterrorism Disease Outbreaks Dispatch Genes, Bacterial Genetic Markers Genetic Variation Genotype Humans Inhalation Exposure Polymerase Chain Reaction
Source:

Emerg Infect Dis. 8(10):1111-1116.
Document Type:

Journal Article
Place as Subject:

United States
Location:

North America
Volume:

8
Issue:

10
Collection(s):

Emerging Infectious Diseases
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urn:sha256:995f34b2bf8e088a211d249943550e26ee1afa85689395982d5858dbe2199874
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https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/3117/cdc_3117_DS1.pdf
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[PDF - 823.10 KB ]

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