Isolation and Characterization of Corynebacterium ulcerans from Cephalic Implants in Macaques

摘要

TodeterminetheprevalenceofcolonizationbyCorynebacteriumulcerans,weculturedsamplesfromthecephalicimplant-skinmarginandpharynxof26rhesusmacaquesandonepig-tailedmacaque.Allbutoneofthesamplesfromthecephalicimplantsyieldedamixedpopulationofbacteria.C.ulceransgrewfromthecephalicimplantsin56%andfromthepharynxin3%oftheimplantedanimals.Wescreenednineoftheseisolatesfordiphtheriatoxin(DT)andphospholipaseD(PLD).Polymerasechainreactions(PCR)failedtoidentifyDTinanyofthetestedisolates,whichalsolackedDTactivityinElektests.However,allnineisolatestestedhadPLDtoxinactivityasdeterminedbyconjointhemolysisonsheepbloodagarplatesinthepresenceofequifactor(Rhodococcusequi).Inaddition,PCRassaysandSouthernblothybridizationconfirmedthepresenceofpldintheisolates.TheroleofthePLDtoxininpromotingcolonizationofcephalicimplantsbyC.ulceransisunknown.WefoundC.ulceranstobeafrequentcontaminantofthecephalicimplant-skinmargin.Furtherstudiesarenecessarytoinvestigatetherelativeclinicalimportanceofthisorganismandtheefficacyofvariousimplantmaintenanceprotocolsinpreventinginfection.