Hong Kong Med J 2010;16(Suppl 4):S13-4
Multi-locus sequence typing scheme for Laribacter hongkongensis, a novel bacterium associated with freshwater fish-borne gastroenteritis and traveller’s diarrhoea
SKP Lau, PCY Woo, KY Yuen
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1. A multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system was developed for Laribacter hongkongensis, an emerging pathogen associated with fish-borne gastroenteritis and traveller’s diarrhoea.
2. A website for L hongkongensis MLST at http://mlstdb.hku. hk:14206/MLST_index.html enables comparison of strains from different localities.
3. The same species of freshwater fish in a particular market is usually obtained from the same fish farm. The presence of multiple sequence types in L hongkongensis strains isolated from the same species of freshwater fish from the same market implies that multiple clones of L hongkongensis probably exist in the same fish farm in mainland China or Hong Kong.
4. The clustering of fish and human isolates into different groups observed previously using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and the present MLST studies suggest that some clones of L hongkongensis are more virulent than others.
2. A website for L hongkongensis MLST at http://mlstdb.hku. hk:14206/MLST_index.html enables comparison of strains from different localities.
3. The same species of freshwater fish in a particular market is usually obtained from the same fish farm. The presence of multiple sequence types in L hongkongensis strains isolated from the same species of freshwater fish from the same market implies that multiple clones of L hongkongensis probably exist in the same fish farm in mainland China or Hong Kong.
4. The clustering of fish and human isolates into different groups observed previously using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and the present MLST studies suggest that some clones of L hongkongensis are more virulent than others.