Analysis of virulence genes and the chromosomal 16S rRNA gene polymorphism of Yersinia enterocolitic in Jiangsu Province, 2015

Objective To reveal the virulence genes and the polymorphisms of chromosomal 16S rRNA gene of Yersinia enterocolitic strains isolated from different districts in Jiangsu Province, 2015. Methods Five virulence genes (ail, virF, yadA, ystA and ystB) of Yersinia enterocolitic strains isolated from different districts in Jiangsu Province were detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and phylogenetic analysis of chromosomal 16S rRNA gene was performed by amplification and sequencing. Results In this study, 73 Yersinia enterocolitic strains were collected in Jiangsu Province in 2015. Among them, 56 (76.7%) strains carried virulence genes, and ail-virF-yadA-ystA-ystB+ were the dominate types in diarrhea patients and other hosts. All strains can be clustering into 4 groups according to the phylogenetic analysis of chromosomal 16S rRNA gene. Conclusions The non-pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitic (ystB+ ) is the dominant strain in Jiangsu province, and the pathogenic strains are also found in this region. The result of phylogenetic analysis of chromosomal 16S rRNA gene and the profiles of virulence genes are highly consistent. Key words: Yersinia enterocolitica; Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis; Virulence genes; Chromosomal 16S rRNA gene