CORRESPONDENCE 375
Gordonia, Rhodococcus, and Tsukamurella,8–10 that define a
species reference sequence type (centroid sequence) and
species-specific ‘cut-off’ values based on well-characterised
sequences to improve the identification of medically relevant
strains.
The sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the 265
Bcc recA sequences suggested that sequences from B. cepacia,
B. multivorans, B. ambifaria, B. anthina, B. pyrrocinia,
B. diffusa, B. arboris, B. contaminans, and B. lata displayed
a greater heterogeneity and difference from respective recA
consensus sequences or ‘centroids’. The addition of recA
gene sequences from well-characterised isolates representing
different Bcc species to GenBank will enhance representation
of the species population and allow future updates of ‘cut-off’
values.12
In conclusion, well-characterised and accepted reference
sequences and species-specific alignment cut-off values can
further improve the accuracy of the identification of clinically
relevant Bcc species based on partial recA gene sequencing.
The selection of such reference sequences can be guided by the
most representative or population ‘centroid’ sequences reflect-
ing the dynamics of distribution and the size of individual Bcc
species.8,10
Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: The authors
declare no conflict of interest.
Qingxin Kong*ô
Meng Xiao{{ô
Fanrong Kong§ô
Marion Yuen§
Mitchell Brown§
Jimmy Ng§
Vishal Ahuja§
Leanne Hicks§
Linhai Shen*
Hong Xu*
Vitali Sintchenko§jj
Gwendolyn L. Gilbert§jj
Greg James§
*Hangzhou Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, {Department of Clinical Laboratory,
and zGraduate School, Peking Union Medical College,
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China;
§Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (CIDM),
Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research
(ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, Westmead, jjSydney Emerging
Infections and Biosecurity Institute and Sydney Medical
School-Westmead, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW,
Australia; ôthese authors contributed equally to the work
Contact Mr G. James.
E-mail: Greg.James@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au
1. AuCoin DP, Crump CR, Thorkildson P, et al. Identification of Burkholderia
cepacia complex bacteria with a lipopolysaccharide-specific monoclonal
antibody. J Med Microbiol 2010; 59: 41–7.
2. Leitão JH, Sousa SA, Ferreira AS, et al. Pathogenicity, virulence factors,
and strategies to fight against Burkholderia cepacia complex pathogens and
related species. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2010; 87: 31–40.
3. Vanlaere E, Baldwin A, Gevers D, et al. Taxon K, a complex within the
Burkholderia cepacia complex, comprises at least two novel species,
Burkholderia contaminans sp. nov. and Burkholderia lata sp. nov. Int J
Syst Evol Microbiol 2009; 59: 102–11.
Copyright © Royal College of pathologists of Australasia. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
4. Vanlaere E, Lipuma JJ, Baldwin A, et al. Burkholderia latens sp. nov.,
Burkholderia diffusa sp. nov., Burkholderia arboris sp. nov., Burkholderia
seminalis sp. nov. and Burkholderia metallica sp. nov., novel species within
the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2008; 58:
1580–90.
5. Drevinek P, Baldwin A, Dowson CG, et al. Diversity of the parB and
repA genes of the Burkholderia cepacia complex and their utility for
rapid identification of Burkholderia cenocepacia. BMC Microbiol 2008;
8: 44.
6. Turton JF, Arif N, Hennessy D, et al. Revised approach for identification
of isolates within the Burkholderia cepacia complex and description
of clinical isolates not assigned to any of the known genomovars. J Clin
Microbiol 2007; 45: 3105–8.
7. Payne GW, Vandamme P, Morgan SH, et al. Development of a recA gene-
based identification approach for the entire Burkholderia genus. Appl
Environ Microbiol 2005; 71: 3917–27.
8. Kong F, Chen S, Chen X, et al. Assignment of reference 5’-end
16S rDNA sequences and species-specific sequence polymorphisms
improves species identification of Nocardia. Open Microbiol J 2009;
23: 97–105.
9. Helal M, Kong F, Chen S, et al. Defining reference sequences for Nocardia
species by similarity and clustering analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequence
data. PLoS One 2011; 6: e19517.
10. Wang T, Kong F, Chen S, et al. Improved identification of Gordonia,
Rhodococcus and Tsukamurella species by 5’-end 16S rRNA gene sequen-
cing. Pathology 2011; 43: 58–63.
11. Mahenthiralingam E, Bischof J, Byrne SK, et al. DNA-based diagnostic
approaches for identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex, Burkhol-
deria vietnamiensis, Burkholderia multivorans, Burkholderia stabilis, and
Burkholderia cepacia genomovars I and III. J Clin Microbiol 2000; 38:
3165–73.
12. Dalmastri C, Fiore A, Alisi C, et al. A rhizospheric Burkholderia cepacia
complex population: genotypic and phenotypic diversity of Burkholderia
cenocepacia and Burkholderia ambifaria. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2003; 46:
179–87.
DOI: 10.1097/PAT.0b013e328353e8b9
Entomophthoromycosis caused by
Basidiobolus ranarum in tropical
northern Australia
Sir,
Subcutaneous zygomycoses occur in tropical and subtropical
areas around the world including Asia, Africa, South America
and are rarely reported in Australia.1–4 We describe two
patients with entomophthoromycosis caused by Basidiobolus
ranarum in the tropical north of Australia.
Patient 1 was a 53-year-old indigenous man from a remote
community 400 km east of Katherine in the Northern Territory
who presented with gross painless swelling of his right leg
(Fig. 1). His medical history included ischaemic heart disease,
dyslipidaemia, hypertension and smoking. Twelve months
prior to presentation he noticed a single small plaque on the
back of his right calf. He recalled an insect bite to the site 1
month before the plaque developed. Over the subsequent year,
the site of inoculation became oedematous and gradually
spread; firstly to the level of the knee, and then more proximally
until the entire leg was involved. The oedema was non-pitting
and his mobility was impaired due to the increased weight of
the leg. Examination revealed extensive annular scaling
erythema and induration of the right leg. Multiple firm non-
tender inguinal lymph nodes, 1–3 cm in diameter, were palp-
able on the affected side and there were no features of systemic
infection. The clinical picture strongly resembled filariasis.