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The virulence factor genotypes of a large cohort of clinical, nosocomial environment and community environment isolates (184 in total) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Tasmania, Australia, were determined by PCR. The virulence factor genotype of the majority of isolates was highly conserved, with the exception of the virulence gene exoU, which demonstrated low prevalence (33 isolates; 18 %) in the population tested. Isolates collected from the environment of intensive therapy wards (intensive care unit and neurosurgical units) of the major tertiary referral hospital in Tasmania were found to be more likely (P,0.001 and P,0.05, respectively) to possess the virulence factor gene exoU than all other isolates. Adult cystic fibrosis isolates showed a decreased prevalence of the exoU gene (P,0.01) when compared to other clinical isolates (P,0.01), which may indicate decreased virulence. No specific virulence factor genotype was associated with the cystic fibrosis epidemic strains tested.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Medical microbiology
Research Field:	Medical bacteriology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Bradbury, RS (Dr Richard Bradbury)
UTAS Author:	Roddam, LF (Dr Louise Roddam)
UTAS Author:	Reid, DW (Dr David Reid)
UTAS Author:	Champion, AC (Dr Alan Champion)
ID Code:	64551
Year Published:	2010
Web of Science® Times Cited:	74
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2010-08-12
Last Modified:	2011-04-19
Downloads:	0