Molecular Epidemiologic Investigation of an Anthrax Outbreak among Heroin Users, Europe

作者：Price Erin P; Seymour Meagan L; Sarovich Derek S; Latham Jennie; Wolken Spenser R; Mason Joanne; Vincent Gemma; Drees Kevin P; Beckstrom Sternberg Stephen M; Phillippy Adam M; Koren Sergey; Okinaka Richard T; Chung Wai Kwan; Schupp James M; Wagner David M; Vipond Richard; Foster Jeffrey T; Bergman Nicholas H; Burans James; Pearson Talima; Brooks Tim; Keim Paul^*

来源：Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2012, 18(8): 1307-1313.

DOI：10.3201/eid1808.111343

In December 2009, two unusual cases of anthrax were diagnosed in heroin users in Scotland. A subsequent anthrax outbreak in heroin users emerged throughout Scotland and expanded into England and Germany, sparking concern of nefarious introduction of anthrax spores into the heroin supply. To better understand the outbreak origin, we used established genetic signatures that provided insights about strain origin. Next, we sequenced the whole genome of a representative Bacillus anthracis strain from a heroin user (Ba4599), developed Ba4599-specific single-nucleotide polymorphism assays, and genotyped all available material from other heroin users with anthrax. Of 34 case-patients with B. anthracis positive PCR results, all shared the Ba4599 single-nucleotide polymorphism genotype. Phylogeographic analysis demonstrated that Ba4599 was closely related to strains from Turkey and not to previously identified isolates from Scotland or Afghanistan, the presumed origin of the heroin. Our results suggest accidental contamination along the drug trafficking route through a cutting agent or animal hides used to smuggle heroin into Europe.

• 出版日期2012-8