English

N Vakou Sabine,Coulibaly-Kalpy Julien,D Coulibaly N`Golo,J Djaman Allico,E Kakou-Ngazoa Solange,Aka N`Guetta,Dosso Mireille

doi:10.5897/ajmr2016.8267

Abstract

Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), the causative agent of Buruli ulcer (BU), skin disease, is considered to be an environmental pathogen. The pathogenic virulence of MU is being linked to the expression of toxin called Mycolactone. Genetic analyses have shown the high diversity with variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRU) in M. ulcerans and in mycolactone producing Mycobacteria (MPMs). The purpose of this study is the molecular characterization of potentially pathogenic environmental mycobacteria strain, apart from the M. ulcerans, from aquatic environments in Cote d’Ivoire. A total of 473 samples were collected comprising of 251 water and 222 sediment based on sampling sites. The sediments were the most contaminated by mycobacteria with 60% as against 43.3% in water samples from the hyper endemic areas. In hypo-endemic areas, water was the most contaminated with 53.57% against 43.24% in sediment. Microscopy by Ziehl-Neelsen-staining, and PCR diagnostics using IS2404 and KR were performed on strains. 20% fast growing isolated mycobacteria species including Mycobacterium mucogenicum, Mycobacterium peregrinum and Mycobacterium sp. was found carrying the IS2404 gene previously found in M. ulcerans. 9.23% of strains carry the ketoreductase (KR) genes, one of the synthesis of mycolactone enzymes. In terms of genetic analysis using the MIRU/VNTR, the MIRU 1 was the most amplified sequence, and LOCUS 6 less amplified; no known profile have been identified in this study. This study is the first step taken in order to understand different skin infections encountered in Cote d’Ivoire. Key words: Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR; ketoreductase, LOCUS 6, IS2404, Mycobacteria, Buruli ulcer.

Highlights

Mycobacteria are germs that cause lung infections, skin or lymph (Griffith et al, 2007)
Genetic analyses have shown the high diversity with variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRU) in M. ulcerans and in mycolactone producing Mycobacteria (MPMs)
Microscopy by Ziehl-Neelsen-staining, and PCR diagnostics using IS2404 and KR were performed on strains. 20% fast growing isolated mycobacteria species including Mycobacterium mucogenicum, Mycobacterium peregrinum and Mycobacterium sp. was found carrying the IS2404 gene previously found in M. ulcerans. 9.23% of strains carry the ketoreductase (KR) genes, one of the synthesis of mycolactone enzymes

Summary

Introduction

Mycobacteria are germs that cause lung infections, skin or lymph (Griffith et al, 2007). This Acid-Alcohol Bacillus Resistant (AFB) are not mandatory pathogens and for several years, the scientific community have not really shown interest in their study, but rather devoted to the study of TB epidemic They were considered as saprophytic bacteria and their pathogenic potential are not recognized (Ziza and Desplaces, 2006). Some mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium liflandii and Mycobacterium fortuitum produce toxins causing skin infections (Williamson et al, 2008; Kakou-Ngazoa et al, 2015). The distribution of commonly isolated species is in constant change in most countries studied and new species emerge (Martin-Casabona et al, 2004) They are part of the group of non-pigmented genes atypical mycobacteria such as M. abscessus, M. chelonae, M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis (Brown and Wallace, 1992)

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