Newly emerging clones of Bordetella pertussis carrying prn2 and ptxP3 alleles implicated in Australian pertussis epidemic in 2008-2010

J Infect Dis. 2012 Apr 15;205(8):1220-4. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jis178. Epub 2012 Mar 13.

Abstract

Australia is experiencing a prolonged epidemic of pertussis that began in 2008. A total of 194 Bordetella pertussis isolates collected from 2008 through 2010 were typed by single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, by multilocus variable number tandem repeats analysis, and by fim3, prn, and ptxP sequence analyses. Strains with 2 closely related SNP profiles carrying prn2 and ptxP3 from the recently emerged SNP cluster I predominated. The data suggest increasing selection among the B. pertussis population in Australia in favor of strains carrying prn2 and ptxP3 under the pressure of acellular vaccine-induced immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bordetella pertussis / genetics*
  • Epidemics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Whooping Cough / epidemiology*
  • Whooping Cough / microbiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins