Title:
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Haemophilus ducreyi DNA is detectable on the skin of
asymptomatic children, flies and fomites in villages of Papua
New Guinea
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Author:
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Houinei, Wendy; Godornes, Charmie; Kapa, August; Knauf, Sascha; Mooring, Eric Q.; Gonzalez-Beiras, Camila; Watup, Ronald; Paru, Raymond; Advent, Paul; Bieb, Sivauk; Sanz, Sergi; Bassat Orellana, Quique; Spinola, Stanley M.; Lukehart, Sheila A.; Mitjà Villar, Oriol
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Abstract:
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BACKGROUND: Haemophilus ducreyi and Treponema pallidum subsp.
pertenue are major causes of leg ulcers in children in Africa
and the Pacific Region. We investigated the presence of DNA (PCR
positivity) from these bacteria on asymptomatic people, flies,
and household linens in an endemic setting.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a cross-sectional
study in rural villages of Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea during
a yaws elimination campaign. Participants were asymptomatic
subjects recruited from households with cases of leg ulcers, and
from households without cases of leg ulcers. We rubbed swabs on
the intact skin of the leg of asymptomatic individuals, and
collected flies and swabs of environmental surfaces. All
specimens were tested by PCR for H. ducreyi and T. p. pertenue
DNA. Of 78 asymptomatic participants that had an adequate
specimen for DNA detection, H. ducreyi-PCR positivity was
identified in 16 (21%) and T. p. pertenue-PCR positivity in 1
(1%). In subgroup analyses, H. ducreyi-PCR positivity did not
differ in participants exposed or not exposed to a case of H.
ducreyi ulcer in the household (24% vs 18%; p = 0.76). Of 17
cultures obtained from asymptomatic participants, 2 (12%)
yielded a definitive diagnosis of H. ducreyi, proving skin
colonization. Of 10 flies tested, 9 (90%) had H. ducreyi DNA and
5 (50%) had T. p. pertenue DNA. Of 6 bed sheets sampled, 2 (33%)
had H. ducreyi DNA and 1 (17%) had T. p. pertenue DNA.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first time that H. ducreyi
DNA and colonization has been demonstrated on the skin of
asymptomatic children and that H. ducreyi DNA and T. p. pertenue
DNA has been identified in flies and on fomites. The ubiquity of
H. ducreyi in the environment is a contributing factor to the
spread of the organism. |
Subject(s):
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-Medicina tropical -Genètica bacteriana -Infants -Papua Nova Guinea -Tropical medicine -Bacterial genetics -Children -Papua New Guinea |
Rights:
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cc by (c) Houinei et al., 2017
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Document type:
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Article Article - Published version |
Published by:
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PLOS
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