Correlation between the presence of sequences homologous to the vir region of Salmonella dublin plasmid pSDL2 and the virulence of twenty-two Salmonella serotypes in mice.

Large plasmids encoding important virulence properties have been found in several Salmonella serotypes. We have studied the relationship between the presence of a highly conserved 4-kilobase (kb) EcoRI fragment from the plasmid virulence region and pathogenicity for mice of 53 isolates representing 22 serotypes of Salmonella. Only strains possessing the homologous 4-kb region were virulent for mice. In addition, we transferred the virulence plasmid from S. dublin into nine different serotypes, including S. typhi and S. paratyphi A, that lack a native virulence plasmid. Only S. heidelberg and S. newport were rendered mouse virulent by the introduction of the S. dublin plasmid. This study demonstrates that plasmid-mediated virulence sequences are required for Salmonella virulence in mice, but many strains, including the agents of human typhoid fever, also lack chromosomal genes necessary to produce lethal systemic disease in mice. Since all the major Salmonella strains that are host-adapted to animals carry virulence plasmids, it appears that these plasmids are important in mediating systemic infection in animals and may contribute to septicemic, nontyphoid salmonellosis in humans.