Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.

<h4>Background</h4>While Group B Streptococcus (GBS) human colonization and infection has long been suspected as originating from cows, several investigators have suggested that ongoing interspecies GBS transmission is unlikely due to genotyping data demonstrating that human and bovine-d...

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Main Authors: Shannon D Manning, A Cody Springman, Amber D Million, Nicole R Milton, Sara E McNamara, Patricia A Somsel, Paul Bartlett, H Dele Davies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0008795&type=printable
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author Shannon D Manning
A Cody Springman
Amber D Million
Nicole R Milton
Sara E McNamara
Patricia A Somsel
Paul Bartlett
H Dele Davies
author_facet Shannon D Manning
A Cody Springman
Amber D Million
Nicole R Milton
Sara E McNamara
Patricia A Somsel
Paul Bartlett
H Dele Davies
author_sort Shannon D Manning
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>While Group B Streptococcus (GBS) human colonization and infection has long been suspected as originating from cows, several investigators have suggested that ongoing interspecies GBS transmission is unlikely due to genotyping data demonstrating that human and bovine-derived GBS strains represent mostly distinct populations. The possibility of ongoing transmission between humans and their livestock has not been systematically examined.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>To examine ongoing interspecies transmission, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional cohort study of 68 families and their livestock. Stool specimens were collected from 154 people and 115 livestock; GBS was detected in 19 (12.3%) humans and 2 (1.7%) animals (bovine and sheep). Application of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) identified 8 sequence types (STs or clones), with STs 1 and 23 predominating. There were 11 families in which two members submitted stools and at least one had GBS colonization. In 3 of these families, both members (consisting of couples) were colonized, yielding a co-colonization rate of 27% (95% CI: 7%-61%). Two of these couples had strains with identical MLST, capsule (cps) genotype, susceptibility, and RAPD profiles. One couple co-colonized with ST-1 (cps5) strains also had a bovine colonized with the identical strain type. On multivariate analysis of questionnaire data, cattle exposure was a predictor of GBS colonization, with each unit increase in days of cattle exposure increasing the odds of colonization by 20% (P = 0.02). These results support interspecies transmission with additional evidence for transmission provided by the epidemiological association with cattle exposure.<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>Although GBS uncommonly colonizes livestock stools, increased frequency of cattle exposure was significantly associated with human colonization and one couple shared the same GBS strains as their bovine suggesting intraspecies transmission. These results set the framework for GBS as a possible zoonotic infection, which has significant public health implications.
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spelling doaj-art-aabef1d0590e40988b52b44faca112e12025-08-20T02:31:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032010-01-0151e879510.1371/journal.pone.0008795Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.Shannon D ManningA Cody SpringmanAmber D MillionNicole R MiltonSara E McNamaraPatricia A SomselPaul BartlettH Dele Davies<h4>Background</h4>While Group B Streptococcus (GBS) human colonization and infection has long been suspected as originating from cows, several investigators have suggested that ongoing interspecies GBS transmission is unlikely due to genotyping data demonstrating that human and bovine-derived GBS strains represent mostly distinct populations. The possibility of ongoing transmission between humans and their livestock has not been systematically examined.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>To examine ongoing interspecies transmission, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional cohort study of 68 families and their livestock. Stool specimens were collected from 154 people and 115 livestock; GBS was detected in 19 (12.3%) humans and 2 (1.7%) animals (bovine and sheep). Application of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) identified 8 sequence types (STs or clones), with STs 1 and 23 predominating. There were 11 families in which two members submitted stools and at least one had GBS colonization. In 3 of these families, both members (consisting of couples) were colonized, yielding a co-colonization rate of 27% (95% CI: 7%-61%). Two of these couples had strains with identical MLST, capsule (cps) genotype, susceptibility, and RAPD profiles. One couple co-colonized with ST-1 (cps5) strains also had a bovine colonized with the identical strain type. On multivariate analysis of questionnaire data, cattle exposure was a predictor of GBS colonization, with each unit increase in days of cattle exposure increasing the odds of colonization by 20% (P = 0.02). These results support interspecies transmission with additional evidence for transmission provided by the epidemiological association with cattle exposure.<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>Although GBS uncommonly colonizes livestock stools, increased frequency of cattle exposure was significantly associated with human colonization and one couple shared the same GBS strains as their bovine suggesting intraspecies transmission. These results set the framework for GBS as a possible zoonotic infection, which has significant public health implications.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0008795&type=printable
spellingShingle Shannon D Manning
A Cody Springman
Amber D Million
Nicole R Milton
Sara E McNamara
Patricia A Somsel
Paul Bartlett
H Dele Davies
Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
PLoS ONE
title Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
title_full Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
title_fullStr Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
title_full_unstemmed Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
title_short Association of Group B Streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure: a prospective cross-sectional cohort study.
title_sort association of group b streptococcus colonization and bovine exposure a prospective cross sectional cohort study
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0008795&type=printable
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