Bordetella holmesii isolated from a patient with sickle cell anemia: analysis and comparison with other Bordetella holmesii isolates

Objective To analyze a Boudetella holmesii isolate from a patient with sick le cell anemia and to compare it with other B. holmesii strains and isolate s and with strains of B. pertursis and B. bronchiseptica, two well-characte rized species of the Bordetella genus. Methods The bacteriological characteristics and proteins produced by the B. holmesii isolate and the reference strain (ATCC 51541) were analyzed and c ompared with those of B. pertussis and B. bronchistptica using sera from pa tients infected with B, pertussis, B. bronchiseptica or B. holmesii. Results The bacteriological characteristics of the B. holmesii isolate stud ied here were similar to those of the B. holmesii reference strain and othe r isolates. Some of the proteins produced by B. holmesii isolates were simi lar to those produced by B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica, but none of th ese proteins was similar to the toxins and adhesins involved in the pathoge nicity of B. pertussis and B, bronchiseptica. The phenotypic diversity of t he proteins produced by B. holmesii isolates and the reference strain was s triking. Conclusions Our results suggest that either, the expression of B. holmesii proteins is regulated as in B. pertussis and B, bronthiseptica, with the B, holmesii strain exhibiting different phases, or the proteins produced in B . holmesii are different.