Sh. Gerardo et al., Pasteurella multocida subsp multocida and P. multocida subsp septica - Differentiation by PCR fingerprinting and alpha-glucosidase activity, J CLIN MICR, 39(7), 2001, pp. 2558-2564
Pasteurella mulfocida is composed of three subspecies that are often differ
entiated by fermentation of sorbitol and dulcitol. We studied 35 dulcitol-n
egative P. multocida isolates from infected dog and cat bite wounds, 16 of
which yielded weak and/or conflicting fermentation reactions in Andrades so
rbitol, thus making it difficult to distinguish between the two dulcitol-ne
gative subspecies of P. multocida, i,e., P. multocida subsp. multocida and
P. multocida subsp. septica. All isolates and two control strains were furt
her analyzed using a PCR fingerprinting technique with a single primer (M13
core) and assessed for cr-glucosidase (alpha -Glu) activity. Although the
PCR fingerprint patterns and alpha -Glu activity did not correlate well wit
h the sorbitol fermentation reactions, they did correlate well with each ot
her. All strains identified as P. multocida subsp. septica were positive fo
r alpha -Glu activity and exhibited the group I PCR fingerprint profile. Al
l strains categorized as P. multocida subsp. multocida displayed either the
group n or group III PCR fingerprint profile; 9 of 11 of these isolates we
re alpha -Glu negative. These data suggest that both PCR fingerprinting and
alpha -Glu activity provide reliable means for differentiating P. mulfocid
a subsp. multocida from P. multocida subsp. septica, particularly in strain
s that produce weak and/or discrepant sorbitol fermentation reactions.