Molecular detection of Burkholderia mallei in different geographic regions of Brazil

Glanders is a contagious disease of equids caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia mallei. In Brazil, the disease is considered to be reemerging and has been expanding, with records of equids with positive serology in most of the federative units. However, there are few reports describing the genotypic detection of the agent. This study demonstrated the detection of B. mallei by species-specific PCR directly from tissues or from bacterial cultures, followed by amplicon sequencing in equids (equines, mules, and asinines) with positive serology for glanders in all five geographic regions of Brazil. The molecular evidence of B. mallei infection in serologically positive equids in this study expands the possibility of strain isolation and the conduction of epidemiological characterizations based on molecular information. The microbiological detection of B. mallei in cultures from nasal and palate swabs, even in equids without clinical manifestations, raises the possibility of environmental elimination of the agent.

Automated summary

This study demonstrated the detection of Burkholderia mallei in equids with positive serology for glanders in all five geographic regions of Brazil using species-specific PCR and sequencing. The use of this method expands the possibility of strain isolation and epidemiological characterizations based on molecular information. The microbiological detection of B. mallei in cultures from asymptomatic equids raises the possibility of environmental elimination of the agent.