Studies on virulence mediated by drug resistant Salmonella typhi R plasmid / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective　To explore the possibility of R plasmid (pRST98) encoding resistance to antimicrobial agents in S. typhi mediate virulence to its host bacteria. Methods　pRST98 was transferred into a less virulent strain of S. typhimurium RIA for creating a transconjugant pRST98/RIA. The standard S. typhimurium virulence strain SR-11 which carries a 100kb virulence plasmid was used as a positive control, and RIA as a negative one. Infection with S. typhimurium was employed to assess the effect of pRST98 on the virulence of host bacteria by LD50 of peroral (p.o.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) infection of BALB/c mice. After oral inoculation of the bacteria into BALB/c mice, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen and liver were examined for quantity of bacteria and for the histopathological changes. The three strains were also studied for their in vitro adhesion and invasion of HEp-2, CHO and HeLa cells. Three chromosomally isogenic strains, i.e., plasmid-containing wild-type S. typhi strain, plasmid artificially cured strain and plasmid-reintroduced into the cured strain were compared for their resistance to the bactericidal activity present in human, rabbit and guinea pig sera. Results　The p.o. and i.p. LD50 of pRST98/RIA was 700 and 75 folds less than that of RIA. The bacteria counting in mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen and liver were more (P<0.05) and more severe histopathological changes were observed in pRST98 harboring S. typhimurium. However, pRST98 did not affect the adhesion and invasion of S. typhimurium to the cells. Experiments showed that pRST98 mediated resistance to serum bactericidal effect in host bacteria (P<0.05). Conclusion　This is the first report about a plasmid carrying genes coding for drug resistance and virulence in S. typhi. The data presented here suggested that novel virulence gene or related sequences, which are important in the pathogenesis of Salmonella infection could exist on pRST98.