Characterization of 3 Strains of Yersinia Pestis

摘要

We have characterized 3 strains of Yersinia pestis currently held in the culture collection at DRES by colonial morphology, antibiotic sensitivity and BiologTM metabolic identification profiles. On agar medium, colonies were round and waxy, resembling other Gram-negative cells such as Escherichia coli. Cultures grew better on Yersinia selective media than on trypticase soy agar or nutrient agar. Antibiotic sensitivities showed that the 3 strains were sensitive to aminoglycosides, the cephalosporins/ cephams, most of the beta lactams/ penicillins (e.g. ampicillin) and quinolones (e.g. ciprofloxacin). These strains were resistant to lincosamide (e.g. clindamycin), macrolides (e.g. erthromycin, colisitin, rifampin and vancomycin) polymyxin B, sulfonamide (e.g. sulfisoxazole) and Yersinia pestis strain GB was resistant to doxycycline. This study is part of a larger effort to characterize all the Risk Group 3 bacterial agents used in the research program at DRES. Although DRES does not currently have a mandate to carry out rapid BW agent identification, this and similar studies could help form the basis on which to build such a capability. The concept of a Defence Reference Center for Infectious Agents (DRCIA) is discussed.