We developed a time-saving and cost-efficient Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) method for the typing of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by modifying the conventional procedures. Our modifications related to the cell suspension preparation, lysis of bacterial cells in plugs, washing steps, and consumption of restriction enzyme. Although few rapid PFGE protocols on Gram-negative bacteria are available, the use of comparatively large amounts of costly reagents prompted us to look for other alternative. Hence, by considering the speed, simplicity, and relatively low cost, the modified protocol may be of more practical value than other established protocols in investigating S. maltophilia nosocomial outbreaks.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multi-drug-resistant global opportunistic nosocomial pathogen, which possesses a huge number of virulence factors and antibiotics resistance characteristics. Iron has a crucial contribution toward growth and development, cell growth and proliferation, and pathogenicity. The bacterium found to acquire iron for its cellular process through the expression of two iron acquisition systems. Two distinct pathways for iron acquisition are encoded by the S. maltophilia genome-a siderophore-and heme-mediated iron uptake system. The entAFDBEC operon directs the production of the enterobactin siderophore of catecholate in nature, while heme uptake relies on hgbBC and potentially hmuRSTUV operon. Fur and sigma factors are regulators of S. maltophilia under iron-limited condition. Iron potentially act as a signal which plays an important role in biofilm formation, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), extracellular enzymes production, oxidative stress response, diffusible signal factor (DSF) and siderophore production in S. maltophilia. This review summarizes the current knowledge of iron acquisition in S. maltophilia and the critical role of iron in relation to its pathogenicity.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a recently identified nosocomial pathogen in Malaysia. Despite limited pathogenicity, its rate of isolation has increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns, antibiotic resistance determinants, and the epidemiology of S. maltophilia at the largest tertiary care hospital in Malaysia.