Survival of Burkholderia pseudomallei in distilled water for 16 years

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2011 Oct;105(10):598-600. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2011.06.004. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Abstract

Burkholderia pseudomallei was examined after being maintained in distilled water at 25°C for 16 years. The Gram stain was atypical (pale pink cocci or coccobacilli). The estimated number of live and dead B. pseudomallei was 3.8×10(7) cells/ml and 1.4×10(5) cells/ml, respectively. A colony count on agar of 1.0×10(6) cfu/ml suggested that a proportion of cells were in a viable but non-culturable state. Colony morphology was different from the parental isolate for 84% of colonies. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of AvrII DNA restriction fragments revealed six different but related banding patterns, which may represent genomic rearrangement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / genetics
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / growth & development*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Culture Media
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field*
  • Humans
  • Melioidosis / genetics*
  • Time Factors
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • DNA, Bacterial