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American Society for Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 9(74), p. 2928-2931, 2008

DOI: 10.1128/aem.02574-07

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Molecular epidemiology of Bacillus anthracis: determining the correct origin

Journal article published in 2008 by Joachim Frey, Vincent Perreten ORCID, Paola Pilo
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

ABSTRACT We analyzed and compared strains of Bacillus anthracis isolated from husbandry and industrial anthrax cases in Switzerland between 1952 and 1981 with published data using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. Strains isolated from autochthonous cases of anthrax in cattle belong to genotype B2, together with strains from continental Europe, while human B. anthracis strains clustered with genotype A4. These strains could be traced back to outbreaks of human anthrax that occurred between 1978 and 1981 in a factory processing cashmere wool from the Indian subcontinent. We interpret the worldwide occurrence of B. anthracis strains of cluster A4 to be due to the extensive global trade of untreated cashmere wool during the last century.