Perianal Swabs Research Articles

Risk factors for vancomycin-resistant enterococci infection and mortality in colonized patients on intensive care unit admission

This study examined the incidence of and risk factors for development of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection and death in VRE-colonized patients in a medical intensive care unit. VRE colonization was identified in 184 patients (17.6%) in whom VRE perianal swab cultures were obtained. Of these, 28 (11.9%) developed VRE infection. Control of infectious sources is crucial to decrease development of VRE infections and optimize the survival of VRE-colonized patients.

Prevalence of and risk factors for MRSA colonization in HIV-positive outpatients in Singapore

BackgroundWhilst there have been studies on the risks and outcomes of MRSA colonization and infections in HIV-positive patients, local data is limited on the risk factors for MRSA colonization among these patients. We undertook this study in a tertiary HIV care centre to document the risk factors for colonization and to determine the prevalence of MRSA colonization among HIV-positive outpatients in Singapore.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study in which factors associated with MRSA positivity among patients with HIV infection were evaluated. A set of standardized questionnaire and data collection forms were available to interview all recruited patients. Following the interview, trained nurses collected swabs from the anterior nares/axilla/groin (NAG), throat and peri-anal regions. Information on demographics, clinical history, laboratory results and hospitalization history were retrieved from medical records.ResultsMRSA was detected in swab cultures from at least 1 site in 15 patients (5.1%). Inclusion of throat and/or peri-anal swabs increased the sensitivity of NAG screening by 20%. Predictors for MRSA colonization among HIV-positive patients were age, history of pneumonia, lymphoma, presence of a percutaneous device within the past 12 months, history of household members hospitalized more than two times within the past 12 months, and a most recent CD4 count less than 200.ConclusionsThis study highlights that a proportion of MRSA carriers would have been undetected without multiple-site screening cultures. This study could shed insight into identifying patients at risk of MRSA colonization upon hospital visit and this may suggest that a risk factor-based approach for MRSA surveillance focusing on high risk populations could be considered.

Intestinal parasites and genotypes of Giardia intestinalis in school children from Berisso, Argentina

Intestinal parasitic infections have been reported in different regions of Argentina. Giardia intestinalis is recognized as "the national parasite". The aim of this work was to determine the prevalence of both intestinal parasites and G. intestinalis genotypes, as well as to analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics in schoolchildren from a suburban community. Serial coproparasitological analysis and perianal swab method were performed in 244 schoolchildren. Demographic, sociocultural and environmental variables were registered. The presence of signs/symptoms and risk behaviours were also recorded. Stools with G. intestinalis were selected for genotyping. Out of 244 schoolchildren, 179/244 (73.4%) were infected with intestinal parasites. The presence of intestinal parasitosis was associated only with house flooding. Multivariate analysis identified that use of a latrine is significantly correlated with G. intestinalis and age six to 11 years with E. vermicularis. Signs and symptoms were recorded in 62% of infected children and in 57.9% of those not infected. Genomic amplification was revealed that 65.7% (46/70) of Giardia positive samples corresponded to genotype B, 31.4% (22/70) to genotype AII, and two samples (2.8%) had mixed infection (AII + B). This study shows a high percentage of infected children living in a suburban community in poor sanitary conditions, and not visiting the doctor in spite of evident signs and symptoms associated a digestive pathology. This situation supports the need for continuing the development of community programs allowing the improvement of quality of life and control of parasitosis in deprived populations.

Molecular Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Colonization by Vancomycin-ResistantEnterococcusin Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

To study the molecular epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization and to identify modifiable risk factors among patients with hematologic malignancies. A hematology-oncology unit with high prevalence of VRE colonization. Patients with hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients admitted to the hospital. Patients underwent weekly surveillance by means of perianal swabs for VRE colonization and, if colonized, were placed in contact isolation. We studied the molecular epidemiology in fecal and blood isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis over a 1-year period. We performed a retrospective case-control study over a 3-year period. Cases were defined as patients colonized by VRE, and controls were defined as patients negative for VRE colonization. Case patients and control patients were matched by admitting service and length of observation time. Molecular genotyping demonstrated the primarily polyclonal nature of VRE isolates. Colonization occurred at a median of 14 days. Colonized patients were characterized by longer hospital admissions. Previous use of ceftazidime was associated with VRE colonization (P < .001), while use of intravenous vancomycin and antibiotics with anaerobic activity did not emerge as a risk factor. There was no association with neutropenia or presence of colonic mucosal disruption, and severity of illness was similar in both groups. Molecular studies showed that in the majority of VRE-colonized patients the strains were unique, arguing that VRE acquisition was sporadic rather than resulting from a common source of transmission. Patient-specific factors, including prior antibiotic exposure, rather than breaches in infection control likely predict for risk of fecal VRE colonization.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Cepheid GeneXpert vanA/ vanB assay ver. 1.0 to detect the vanA and vanB vancomycin resistance genes in Enterococcus from perianal specimens

Rapid detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) carriers could be useful to health care facilities to minimize transmission. To that end, we compared the performance of the Cepheid GeneXpert vanA/ vanB assay with that of direct and broth-enriched culture methods for detection of VRE from perianal swabs. Enterococci were cultivated on Enterococcosel™ agar with 8 μg/mL vancomycin, Bile Esculin Azide Agar with 6 μg/mL vancomycin, and Bile Esculin Azide Enterococcosel Broth. Compared to the reference standard (combination of direct agar plating, broth-enriched culture, and clinical chart review), the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the vanA/ vanB assay were 96.4%, 93.0%, 92.0%, and 96.9%, respectively ( n = 184). The 95% limit of detection was 100 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for vanA and 114 CFU/mL for vanB. In summary, the GeneXpert vanA/ vanB assay is a rapid and accurate method to identify vanA/ vanB-colonized patients for VRE screening programs that use perianal swab specimens.

Prevalence ofEnterobius vermicularisamong Preschool Children in Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea

The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis among preschool children in Gimhae-si, Korea. A total of 6,921 preschool children in 76 kindergartens were examined using the cellotape perianal swab method. The overall egg positive rate (EPR) was 10.5%. The EPR in boys was higher than that in girls (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.5, P<0.001), and it was higher in rural than in urban children (AOR: 1.2, P=0.022). The present study confirmed that the prevalence of E. vermicularis infection is fairly high among preschool children in Gimhae-si. Therefore, systematic control and preventive measures should be adopted to reduce morbidity associated with this nematode infection.

Simultaneous carriage of multiple genotypes of Staphylococcus aureus in children

The co-existence of multiple genotypes in colonization by Staphylococcus aureus has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the heterogeneity of S. aureus carriage in children. We evaluated 125 nasal and perianal swab samples that were positive for S. aureus from 76 children scheduled for elective surgery. For each sample, at least four colonies with the same or different morphotypes were selected for analysis. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat fingerprinting was used to determine the genetic relatedness and to characterize the clonality of the S. aureus strains. Of the 125 swabs, 91 (73 %) contained meticillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), 8 (6 %) contained meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and 26 (21 %) contained MSSA and MRSA simultaneously. A total of 738 S. aureus strains were evaluated with a mean of 6 colonies (range 4-15) picked from each culture. Of the 125 swabs, 32 (26 %) samples contained two genetically distinct S. aureus strains and 6 (5 %) contained three different genotypes. Multiple S. aureus strains simultaneously carried by individual children were genetically unrelated to each other. We concluded that the co-existence of multiple genotypes of S. aureus was common. The significance of multiple carriage is yet to be determined, but this intraspecies interplay could be important to pathogenicity and virulence in S. aureus.

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in children and adolescents admitted to CHEO

Little is known about the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Canadian paediatric populations. A prospective prevalence survey of MRSA colonization was conducted on all children (excluding psychiatric inpatients) admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO; Ottawa, Ontario) over a 30-day period in the summer of 2008. Patients meeting infection prevention and control criteria for targeted MRSA screening (ie, transfers from other hospitals, hospitalization outside CHEO within the past six months, or known MRSA-positive status) were screened with nasal and rectal swabs, independently of the study protocol. All other study participants had nasal swabs collected plus perianal swabs, if specific consent was provided. All specimens were obtained within 48 h of admission to exclude nosocomial acquisition. Of 417 eligible admissions in the study period, 241 were screened for MRSA. Ninety-eight (24%) were discharged or could not be enrolled before 48 h, 35 (8%) were not interested in learning about the study and 43 (10%) refused consent. Both nasal and rectal/perianal specimens were obtained from 126 patients, and only nasal specimens were obtained from the remaining 115 patients. Only one patient was colonized with MRSA, representing 0.2% of all admissions in the 30-day period, and 0.4% (one of 241 patients; 95% CI 0% to 1.2%) of all screened patients. This child had MRSA recovered only from her nose. Historically, MRSA has been infrequently isolated from CHEO inpatients; a recent study (1) identified 44 cases of either MRSA infection or colonization in admitted children between 1990 and 2009, although the incidence appeared to be increasing. Our study also demonstrated that MRSA colonization in children and adolescents at admission to CHEO is rare. Health care exposure is a significant risk factor for MRSA colonization, with MRSA prevalence being substantially higher in patients screened at hospital admission than among those screened in the community (2,3). It is, therefore, likely that less than 0.4% of the general paediatric population of eastern Ontario is colonized with MRSA, unless there is something unique about the colonized children that results in them being hospitalized less often than those not colonized. In addition to a small sample size and limited study period, only 58% of all admissions were screened, possibly leading to omission bias. We note, however, that the largest group that was not captured in the study were those discharged before attempted enrollment – the majority of whom underwent elective, short-stay surgical procedures. We do not believe that this population would have substantially higher risks for MRSA colonization than the inpatients captured in the study; there were no inpatient specimens that were positive for MRSA during the study period. As well, although one-half of the patients screened had only a nasal swab performed, the true prevalence is not likely to be significantly greater or clinically relevant if the sensitivity of nasal screening is approximately 70% (4–7). Based on our results, the prevalence of MRSA colonization in children from eastern Ontario was substantially lower than that reported in American paediatric populations (8). Although nasal carriage is not a sine qua non for MRSA infection (9), higher colonization rates are associated with higher rates of infection in a given population, and those colonized are more likely to become infected (8,10–13). Consequently, our data have implications relating to the likelihood of MRSA infection in children from eastern Ontario. Carriage rates will almost certainly progressively increase, however, and ongoing surveillance will be necessary.

Prospective, Multicenter Evaluation of the BD GeneOhm VanR Assay for Direct, Rapid Detection of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Species in Perianal and Rectal Specimens

The BD GeneOhm VanR assay (BD Diagnostics, San Diego, CA), a qualitative test for the rapid detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from rectal and/or perianal swabs, combines integrated nucleic acid extraction and automated polymerase chain reaction for the detection of vanA and/or vanB gene sequences. We studied 1,027 perianal and rectal swab specimens from 3 geographically distinct US sites (prevalence rates, 13.1%-25.8%). Direct swab specimens were tested by the assay and compared with direct culture. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the assay were 93.2%, 81.9%, 54.4%, and 98.1%, respectively. The specificity was limited largely due to false-positives in the vanB portion of the assay. Specificity with perianal swabs was significantly greater than with rectal swabs, 87.1% vs 74.7%, respectively (P < .0001). When used only to detect resistance conferred by vanA, the assay was 88.3% (158/179) sensitive and 95.8% (802/837) specific, with positive and negative predictive values of 81.9% and 97.4%, respectively. The assay is a simple, rapid, and acceptable method for screening for VRE in a variety of populations in which vanA is the predominant genotype. Samples positive for the vanB genotype should be confirmed by culture owing to the apparent high number of false-positive results.

Pesquisa de Streptococcus Agalactiae na Secreção Vaginal e Anal de Gestantes de um Município do Noroeste Paulista

O Streptococcus agalactiae tem grande importância médica nas infecções neonatais graves associadas com morbidade e mortalidade. É a bactéria mais frequentemente isolada dos quadros de septicemia, pneumonia e meningite neonatal. Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência de colonização anal e vaginal de Streptococcus agalactiae em gestantes em diferentes idades gestacionais. A incidência de colonização por S. agalactiae foi avaliada em 129 gestantes de qualquer idade gestacional. Foram coletadas duas amostras de secreção para cultura: um swab perianal e um swab vaginal. Cada um dos dois swabs foi inoculado em tubo de ensaio contendo caldo de Todd-Hewitt e subcultivados em ágar sangue. Após 24 a 48 horas, as colônias sugestivas de Streptococcus agalactiae foram submetidas à análise morfotintorial e a provas bioquímicas para identificação. Das 129 gestantes analisadas, 3 (2,33%) tiverem cultura positiva para Streptococcus agalactiae e 126 (97,67%) apresentaram resultado negativo. Os resultados apresentados neste trabalho estão abaixo dos dados de outros estudos, entretanto, a metodologia utilizada foi compatível com a maioria dos autores. Ainda assim, essa taxa é considerada um valor relevante, tendo em vista a importância do Streptococcus agalactiae em infecções em gestantes e neonatos, ressaltando a necessidade de estimular a cultura de secreção vaginal e anal para pesquisa de Streptococcus agalactiae nos exames de pré-natal.

Carriage rate of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in hospitalised patients during a national outbreak

During a national outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in Israel, we conducted a point prevalence survey to determine the extent of asymptomatic carriage. Subsequently, a retrospective case-control study was done, comparing carriers of CRKP with non-carriers, in order to detect risk factors for carriage. Oral, perianal and rectal swabs were obtained from all hospitalised eligible and consenting patients. Selective media for carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria were used and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) helped to determine clonal source. Culture was obtained from 298 patients. Sixteen (5.4%) were carriers of CRKP, with a higher carriage rate in medical and surgical wards. Only 18% of carriers were treated with any carbapenem prior to the survey. Five of the 16 carriers had a positive clinical specimen for CRKP, hence a clinical infection versus asymptomatic carriage ratio of 1:3. The rectum was the most sensitive site sampled, detecting 15/16 carriers, and the overall sensitivity of the method was 94% with a negative predictive value of 99.6%. In a multivariate analysis of risk factors for CRKP carriage, three variables were significantly related to carriage state: diaper use, longer duration of hospital stay and vancomycin use. PFGE demonstrated that all 16 isolates were identical, confirming clonal origin. A point prevalence survey performed at a single medical centre during an outbreak of CRKP demonstrated a carriage rate of 5.4%. The clonal origin of these isolates suggests that strict adherence to isolation procedure may contain this outbreak.

Importance of specimen type in detecting human papillomavirus DNA from the female genital tract

HPV testing is a valuable tool in cervical cancer screening and efficacy assessment of HPV vaccines. Concordance of specimens from three sites for detection of HPV DNA in the female genital tract was evaluated. At a single visit, the following specimens were collected: an endo-ecto-cervical swab (EEC), labial/vulvar/perineal/perianal swab (LVPP) and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL). Specimens were evaluated with HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, and HPV18 type- and gene-specific PCR assays. Of the 898 women evaluated at baseline, 232 were HPV PCR positive in at least one specimen. Of these, for HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, and HPV18, respectively, throughout: (a) 70.4%, 40.0%, 65.3%, and 64.1% tested three-site positive; (b) 13.6%, 30.0%, 19.7%, and 18.8% tested two-site positive; and (c) 16.4%, 30.0%, 15.0%, and 17.2% tested single-site positive. For patients who tested single-site positive for HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, or HPV18, respectively, the specimen was: LVPP in 92.3%, 33.3%, 68.2%, and 72.7%; EEC in 0.0%, 33.3%, 18.2%, and 9.1%; and CVL in 7.7%, 33.3%, 13.6%, and 18.2%. Combining results of swab specimens together increases detection of HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, and HPV 18, respectively, to 98.7%, 90.0%, 97.9%, and 96.9%. HPV DNA is detectable from all three sites using type-specific PCR assays; most women who tested positive for a given HPV type were positive for that type in all three specimens.

A prospective study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in children scheduled for elective surgery

Background Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of surgical wound infections. To obtain contemporary data on S aureus, we performed a prospective study of colonization and infection in children scheduled for elective surgical procedures. Methods A nasal swab and clinical information were obtained at the presurgical outpatient visit. At operation, nasal and perianal swabs were obtained. S aureus were isolated and characterized. Results We enrolled 499 patients from June 2005 to April 2007. Wound classes were 1 (73%), 2 (22%), 3 (5%), and 4 (0.2%). Prophylactic antibiotics were administered for 153 (31%). Postoperative length of stay ranged from 0 (77%) to 6 days, with 19 (4%) staying 4 days or more. Screening cultures grew S aureus for 186 procedures (36.6%); of these, 141 were methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) (76% of all staphylococcal cultures or 28% of all procedures). Most MRSA had Staphylococcal Chromosomal Cassette mec type II and resistance to clindamycin—typical for hospital-associated strains. There were 10 (2%) surgical site infections, including 4 methicillin-sensitive S aureus, 1 MRSA, 2 with no growth, and 2 with no cultures. Conclusion Methicillin-resistant S aureus colonization was common in asymptomatic children. Most strains appeared to be health care–associated and resistant to clindamycin. Wound infection rate remained low despite the high prevalence of staphylococcal colonization.

Human Papillomavirus Infections and Vulvar Disease Development

We describe the prevalence of 14 common types [human papillomavirus (HPV)-6/11/16/18/31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59] in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia grades 1 to 3 (VIN 1-3) and HPV genotype-specific infection in relation to the development of VIN 1-3. Data were analyzed from women enrolled in the placebo arms of three randomized double-blind trials. Anogenital examinations, including collection of labial/vulvar/perineal/perianal swabs, occurred at day 1 and every 6 to 12 months through 48 months. Lesions that were possibly, probably, or definitely HPV related or of unknown etiology were biopsied. Biopsies and swabs were HPV typed. Biopsies were read for endpoint determination (VIN 1-3) by up to four pathologists. Incident infection with HPV-16 was the most common (6.0/100 person-years). The mean time from incident infection to the development of VIN 1-3 was 18.5 months (95% confidence interval, 13.4-23.6). HPV-6 or -11 was observed in 64.5% of VIN 1 and 29.0% of VIN 2/3, whereas HPV-16 was observed in 6.5% of VIN 1 and 64.5% of VIN 2/3. A vaccine that includes both low- and high-risk types could prevent more than half of VIN 1-3 lesions, including the precursor lesions to HPV-related vulvar carcinoma. Understanding the incidence and duration of vulvar HPV infection and risk for progression to VIN 1-3 may inform therapeutic decisions for vulvar disease and mathematical models that assess the cost-effectiveness of vaccination.

Enterobius vermicularis infection in schoolchildren: a large-scale survey 6 years after a population-based control

Pinworm infection remains prevalent in children in many parts of the world. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of this infection in schoolchildren in Taiwan after the termination of the 15-year population-based control project in 2001. Our results showed that 2.4% of 118 190 children in 385 primary schools were found to have enterobiasis by two-consecutive-day adhesive cellophane perianal swabs. The prevalences were significantly different in the 25 counties/cities surveyed (0.6-6.6%). A significantly higher prevalence was found in boys (2.6%) than in girls (2.2%) and the prevalence decreased by grade from 3.8% in grade 1 to 1.0% in grade 6. In the primary schools, 9.1% had positive rates 10%. In addition, pinworm infection was found to be significantly associated with the socioeconomic status, personal hygiene and sanitary conditions of the children. The results indicate that the overall prevalence of enterobiasis remains at a low level after the control programme was transferred to the local governments.

Optimization of a Laboratory-Developed Test Utilizing Roche Analyte-Specific Reagents for Detection of Staphylococcus aureus , Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus , and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Species

Nasal and perianal swab specimens were tested for detection of Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species (VRE) using a laboratory-developed real-time PCR test and microbiological cultures. The real-time PCR and culture results for S. aureus were similar. PCR had adequate sensitivity, but culture was more specific for the detection of VRE.

Perianal Streptococcal Dermatitis: An Important Differential Diagnosis in Pediatric Patients

Perianal streptococcal dermatitis is an infectious disease that predominantly affects younger children and is mostly caused by Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. Although patients are mostly seen primarily by their pediatrician or family physician, the diagnosis is not infrequently established just after referral to a dermatologist or colorectal surgeon. We report a case series of 124 children, aged 14 years or younger, who were seen at our office for anorectal complaints between February 2003 and September 2006. Twenty-one of 124 patients (16 percent) were diagnosed with perianal streptococcal dermatitis on the basis of a positive perianal swab by microbiologic analysis. Perianal streptococcal dermatitis was the most frequent infectious disease in that age group in our practice. Sixteen (of 21, 76 percent) patients were male, and the mean age was 6.3 years. One course of systemic antibiotic treatment augmented by additional local antiseptic ointment in selected cases cured all patients within 10 to 14 days. One patient presented with a new perianal streptococcal dermatitis episode five months after treatment and was successfully retreated with an oral antibiotic. With this report, we wish to alert the colorectal community of the diagnosis because it may be underdiagnosed in our practices and thereby lead to prolonged discomfort, protracted disease, and potentially harmful sequelae for these typically very young patients.

Human papillomavirus assay in genital warts – correlation with symptoms

Our purpose was to investigate the human papillomavirus (HPV) type distribution using the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) Microplate assay in males. We tested a urethral swab from 550 HIV-negative males with genital warts and 64 HIV-negative males clinically free of genital warts, partners of HPV-infected females, using the HC2 Microplate assay. A perianal swab was also obtained from patients with perianal warts. In the first group, HPV DNA of any type was detected in 280 (50.9%) patients. Relatively few patients with urethral or perianal warts demonstrated a negative test (both P < 0.0001). Low-risk types were commoner, accounting for 60.0% of the HPV cases, high/intermediate-risk types accounted for 23.6%, while 46 men (16.4%) were infected with both types. Of 13 subjects (20.3%) of the second group who tested positive for HPV DNA, 61.5% were infected by low-risk types, 23.1% by high/intermediate-risk types and 15.4% had a dual infection. In conclusion, male partners of infected females and males with genital warts are predominantly infected by low-risk HPV types, but a substantial proportion is also or only affected by high-risk types.

Identification and biodegradation potential of a novel strain of Dietzia cinnamea isolated from a petroleum-contaminated tropical soil

A bacterial strain, named P4, isolated previously from microcosms containing oil-contaminated soil collected from an environmentally protected area of a tropical Atlantic forest (Biological Reserve of Poço das Antas) located in Brazil was identified as Dietzia cinnamea by morphological, biochemical and genotypic tests. Arabian Light and Marlin oils were both degraded when strain P4 was tested for oil degradation ability in microplates. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) analysis, determined by gas chromatography, showed that strain P4 degraded a wide range of n-alkanes, and also pristane and phytane. Furthermore, this strain was also able to grow in mineral liquid media amended with carbazole, quinoline, naphthalene, toluene, gasoline and diesel as the sole carbon sources. The species D. cinnamea has been previously described with only one representative strain isolated from a perianal swab of a patient with a bone marrow transplant. With the results presented here this species is implicated not only as a human pathogen but also as a potential strain for further studies concerning its role for bioremediation of oil contaminated soil.

Dietzia cinnamea sp. nov., a novel species isolated from a perianal swab of a patient with a bone marrow transplant

The taxonomic status of a bacterium isolated from a perianal swab of a patient with a bone marrow transplant was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Chemotaxonomic investigations revealed the presence of cell wall chemotype IV, short chain mycolic acids that co-migrated with those extracted from members of the genus Dietzia, and a dihydrogenated menaquinone with eight isoprene units as the predominant menaquinone. Generic assignment was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that this isolate constitutes a distinct phyletic line within the genus Dietzia, displaying 97.5-98.7% sequence similarity with Dietzia species with validly published names. The isolate could be distinguished from the type strain of Dietzia maris (1.6% sequence divergence) and other species of the genus Dietzia by DNA-DNA hybridization, as well as by using a set of biochemical tests. Genotypic and phenotypic data show that the strain merits classification as a novel species of the genus Dietzia for which the name Dietzia cinnamea sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is IMMIB RIV-399T (= DSM 44904T = CCUG 50875T).