Bacillus anthracis-like bacteria and other B. cereus group members in a microbial community within the International Space Station: a challenge for rapid and easy molecular detection of virulent B. anthracis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 6; p. e98871
• Main Authors: van Tongeren, Sandra P, Roest, Hendrik I J, Degener, John E, Harmsen, Hermie J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aerospace Medicine; Anthrax; Anthrax - genetics; Anthrax - microbiology; Bacillus; Bacillus anthracis; Bacillus anthracis - genetics; Bacillus anthracis - isolation & purification; Bacillus anthracis - pathogenicity; Bacillus cereus; Bacillus cereus - genetics; Bacillus cereus - isolation & purification; Bacillus cereus - pathogenicity; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Biology and Life Sciences; Communities; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ecological risk assessment; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Environmental assessment; Environmental monitoring; Etiology; Genes; Health risks; Humans; Hygiene; Identification methods; International Space Station; Laboratories; Medicine and Health Sciences; Microbiomes; Microorganisms; Onsite; Pathogens; Plasmids; Risk assessment; rRNA 16S; Space stations; Spacecraft; Spores; Virulence
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098871

For some microbial species, such as Bacillus anthracis, the etiologic agent of the disease anthrax, correct detection and identification by molecular methods can be problematic. The detection of virulent B. anthracis is challenging due to multiple virulence markers that need to be present in order for B. anthracis to be virulent and its close relationship to Bacillus cereus and other members of the B. cereus group. This is especially the case in environments where build-up of Bacillus spores can occur and several representatives of the B. cereus group may be present, which increases the chance for false-positives. In this study we show the presence of B. anthracis-like bacteria and other members of the B. cereus group in a microbial community within the human environment of the International Space Station and their preliminary identification by using conventional culturing as well as molecular techniques including 16S rDNA sequencing, PCR and real-time PCR. Our study shows that when monitoring the microbial hygiene in a given human environment, health risk assessment is troublesome in the case of virulent B. anthracis, especially if this should be done with rapid, easy to apply and on-site molecular methods.