The molecular characterisation of bacteria associated with neonatal necrotising enterocolitis and sepsis which were isolated from hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

Background: The identification and molecular characterisation of bacteria associated with neonatal necrotising enterocolitis (NNE) and sepsis is very important in clarifying the role such bacteria play in the development of this disease. Methods: The present multicentre study was aimed at characterising bacteria isolated from haemocultures obtained from 20 neonates suffering NNE by using traditional and molecular methodologies (16 S rRNA subunit sequencing and multilocus sequence typing - MLST). Results: NNE incidence in hospitals in Bogotá was also estimated, finding rates similar to and higher than those reported in the literature (1 to 3 cases of NNE per 1,000 live-births). Staphylococcus epidermidis ST2, ST81, and ST126 sequence types were identified by using these two molecular techniques; the Escherichia coli ST394 sequence type was also identified. Species could not be identified for the Pantoea agglomerans isolate due to the high degree of intra-species identity. Interestingly, the bacterial isolates from the two neonates who died were classified in the same sequence type (i.e. S. epidermidis ST81), even though they came from different hospitals. Conclusion: Such molecular techniques allow characterising bacterial pathogen populations occurring in one or more hospitals in a particular city or determined geographical area and support taking more specific preventative measures directed against such particular clones.