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Anthrax phylogenetic structure in Northern Italy.
Giuliano Garofolo1, Luigina Serrecchia, Michela Corrò
1Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Anthrax Reference Institute of Italy-Foggia, Italy. ggarofolo@libero.it.
BMC Research Notes
|August 2, 2011
Summary
Anthrax genetic diversity in Northern Italy reveals distinct Bacillus anthracis sublineages. Molecular analysis indicates a separate evolutionary niche for anthrax strains near the Alps, differing from the rest of the country.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Epidemiology
- Veterinary science
Background:
- Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) is rare in Europe but persists in the Mediterranean region.
- Northern Italy has historically reported few anthrax cases, lacking detailed molecular characterization.
- Understanding Bacillus anthracis genetic diversity is crucial for disease control and surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular diversity of Bacillus anthracis in Northern Italy.
- To characterize anthrax strains from animal outbreaks over the last twenty years.
- To identify potential regional genetic variations in Bacillus anthracis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of six Bacillus anthracis strains from Northern Italian animal outbreaks.
- Canonical Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (canSNP) genotyping to determine sublineages.
- Multilocus Variable Number Tandem Repeat (MLVA) analysis for fine-scale genotyping.
Main Results:
- canSNP analysis identified three sublineages: B.Br.CNEVA, A.Br.005/006, and A.008/009.
- The A.008/009 genotype is dominant in Italy; B.Br.CNEVA and A.Br.005/006 were found in the Northeast.
- 15-loci MLVA revealed five distinct genotypes among the analyzed isolates.
Conclusions:
- The genetic structure of Bacillus anthracis in Northeast Italy differs from other regions.
- This suggests a distinct and independent molecular evolution niche for anthrax in the Alpine area.
- Anthrax genetic diversity appears to change geographically around the Alps.
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