Rare, suppurative pulmonary infection caused by Nocardiopsis dassonvillei recognized by glycolipid markers

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology 1998-05, Vol.21 (1), p.47-55
• Main Authors: Mordarska, H., Zakrzewska-Czerwiñska, J., Paściak, M., Szponar, B., Rowiñski, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actinomycetales Infections - immunology; Actinomycetales Infections - microbiology; Actinomycetes; Animals; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the respiratory system; Base Composition; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Wall - chemistry; Cell walls; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; Etiology; Fatty acids; Genomics; Glycolipid marker; Glycolipids - analysis; Glycolipids - immunology; Homology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Delayed; Immune Sera; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infectious diseases; Lung Abscess - immunology; Lung Abscess - microbiology; Male; Markers; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nocardiopsis; Nocardiopsis dassonvillei; Nocardiosis; Nocardiosis‐like disease; Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; Phospholipids; Pneumonia - immunology; Pneumonia - microbiology; Rabbits; Serotyping; Streptomycetaceae - chemistry; Streptomycetaceae - classification; Streptomycetaceae - genetics; Streptomycetaceae - immunology
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X; 2049-632X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1998.tb01148.x

Abstract An opportunistic actinomycete was isolated as the only etiological agent of a severe, suppurative pulmonary infection. The strain was rapidly recognised as Nocardiopsis by the taxonomically important and immunologically active glycolipid markers (G1 and G2). Identification of the clinical isolate, from a group of actinomycetes mainly known as soil habitants, was definitely proved by chemotaxonomic studies (cell wall/sugar, phospholipid and fatty acid types) as well as by genomic data (GC content, DNA-DNA reassociation). The level of DNA-DNA homology of the clinical actinomycete, in comparison with other reference members of this genus, revealed the highest (88%) relatedness to Nocardiopsis dassonvillei. The results confirmed the value and generic specificity of glycolipid markers from Nocardiopsis, the first time used for rapid recognition of a clinical strain causing a nocardiosis-like disease.