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Molecular analysis of multiply recurrent meningitis due to Escherichia coli K1 in an infant
Abstract:
Bacterial DNA polymorphism was used to document the occurrence of three separate episodes of meningitis caused by Escherichia coli K1 in an infant. The methods employed included determination of the restriction fragment length polymorphism of total DNA and of ribosomal DNA regions as well as DNA fingerprinting by the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction. By these three genotypic approaches, the three isolates obtained from the infant's cerebrospinal fluid on days 9, 34, and 70, respectively, were found to share the same patterns, which were different from the patterns of control strains. Thus, these three episodes of E. coli K1 meningitis were due to a single strain. DNA-based typing techniques seem extremely promising as tools to be used in unraveling the complex mechanisms of recurrent meningitis.
Insights
Recurrent meningitis in an infant was caused by a single strain of Escherichia coli K1, confirmed by bacterial DNA polymorphism. DNA-based typing methods effectively identified the persistent bacterial strain across multiple infection episodes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Recurrent meningitis poses a significant clinical challenge, particularly in infants.
- Identifying the causative pathogen and its persistence is crucial for effective treatment and understanding disease recurrence.
- Bacterial DNA polymorphism offers a powerful tool for strain differentiation and epidemiological tracking.
Observation:
- An infant experienced three distinct episodes of meningitis over 70 days.
- Cerebrospinal fluid samples from each episode were analyzed using multiple DNA-based typing techniques.
- Isolates from the three meningitis episodes were compared to control strains.
Findings:
- Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of total DNA and ribosomal DNA regions were analyzed.
- DNA fingerprinting using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was performed.
- All three E. coli K1 isolates from the infant shared identical DNA patterns, distinct from control strains.
Implications:
- The three episodes of E. coli K1 meningitis were attributed to a single, persistent bacterial strain.
- DNA-based typing techniques are highly effective in elucidating the mechanisms of recurrent meningitis.
- These methods hold promise for clinical diagnostics and epidemiological studies of persistent infections.