1
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Kuronen J, Horsfield ST, Pöntinen AK, Mallawaarachchi S, Arredondo-Alonso S, Thorpe H, Gladstone RA, Willems RJL, Bentley SD, Croucher NJ, Pensar J, Lees JA, Tonkin-Hill G, Corander J. Pangenome-spanning epistasis and coselection analysis via de Bruijn graphs. Genome Res 2024; 34:1081-1088. [PMID: 39134411 PMCID: PMC11368177 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278485.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Studies of bacterial adaptation and evolution are hampered by the difficulty of measuring traits such as virulence, drug resistance, and transmissibility in large populations. In contrast, it is now feasible to obtain high-quality complete assemblies of many bacterial genomes thanks to scalable high-accuracy long-read sequencing technologies. To exploit this opportunity, we introduce a phenotype- and alignment-free method for discovering coselected and epistatically interacting genomic variation from genome assemblies covering both core and accessory parts of genomes. Our approach uses a compact colored de Bruijn graph to approximate the intragenome distances between pairs of loci for a collection of bacterial genomes to account for the impacts of linkage disequilibrium (LD). We demonstrate the versatility of our approach to efficiently identify associations between loci linked with drug resistance and adaptation to the hospital niche in the major human bacterial pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juri Kuronen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
| | - Samuel T Horsfield
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, United Kingdom
| | - Anna K Pöntinen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sudaraka Mallawaarachchi
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | | | - Harry Thorpe
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
| | | | - Rob J L Willems
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stephen D Bentley
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Croucher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Johan Pensar
- Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
| | - John A Lees
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, United Kingdom;
| | - Gerry Tonkin-Hill
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway;
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jukka Corander
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0372 Blindern, Norway
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
- Helsinki Institute of Information Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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2
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Seng R, Chomkatekaew C, Tandhavanant S, Saiprom N, Phunpang R, Thaipadungpanit J, Batty EM, Day NPJ, Chantratita W, West TE, Thomson NR, Parkhill J, Chewapreecha C, Chantratita N. Genetic diversity, determinants, and dissemination of Burkholderia pseudomallei lineages implicated in melioidosis in Northeast Thailand. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5699. [PMID: 38972886 PMCID: PMC11228029 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50067-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Melioidosis is an often-fatal neglected tropical disease caused by an environmental bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. However, our understanding of the disease-causing bacterial lineages, their dissemination, and adaptive mechanisms remains limited. To address this, we conduct a comprehensive genomic analysis of 1,391 B. pseudomallei isolates collected from nine hospitals in northeast Thailand between 2015 and 2018, and contemporaneous isolates from neighbouring countries, representing the most densely sampled collection to date. Our study identifies three dominant lineages, each with unique gene sets potentially enhancing bacterial fitness in the environment. We find that recombination drives lineage-specific gene flow. Transcriptome analyses of representative clinical isolates from each dominant lineage reveal increased expression of lineage-specific genes under environmental conditions in two out of three lineages. This underscores the potential importance of environmental persistence for these dominant lineages. The study also highlights the influence of environmental factors such as terrain slope, altitude, and river direction on the geographical dispersal of B. pseudomallei. Collectively, our findings suggest that environmental persistence may play a role in facilitating the spread of B. pseudomallei, and as a prerequisite for exposure and infection, thereby providing useful insights for informing melioidosis prevention and control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathanin Seng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chalita Chomkatekaew
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarunporn Tandhavanant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Natnaree Saiprom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rungnapa Phunpang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Janjira Thaipadungpanit
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Elizabeth M Batty
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Wasun Chantratita
- Center for Medical Genomics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - T Eoin West
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicholas R Thomson
- Parasites and Microbes Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Julian Parkhill
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire Chewapreecha
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Parasites and Microbes Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
- Previous Affiliations: Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresource and Technology, King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Narisara Chantratita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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3
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Mallawaarachchi S, Tonkin-Hill G, Pöntinen A, Calland J, Gladstone R, Arredondo-Alonso S, MacAlasdair N, Thorpe H, Top J, Sheppard S, Balding D, Croucher N, Corander J. Detecting co-selection through excess linkage disequilibrium in bacterial genomes. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae061. [PMID: 38846349 PMCID: PMC11155488 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Population genomics has revolutionized our ability to study bacterial evolution by enabling data-driven discovery of the genetic architecture of trait variation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have more recently become accompanied by genome-wide epistasis and co-selection (GWES) analysis, which offers a phenotype-free approach to generating hypotheses about selective processes that simultaneously impact multiple loci across the genome. However, existing GWES methods only consider associations between distant pairs of loci within the genome due to the strong impact of linkage-disequilibrium (LD) over short distances. Based on the general functional organisation of genomes it is nevertheless expected that majority of co-selection and epistasis will act within relatively short genomic proximity, on co-variation occurring within genes and their promoter regions, and within operons. Here, we introduce LDWeaver, which enables an exhaustive GWES across both short- and long-range LD, to disentangle likely neutral co-variation from selection. We demonstrate the ability of LDWeaver to efficiently generate hypotheses about co-selection using large genomic surveys of multiple major human bacterial pathogen species and validate several findings using functional annotation and phenotypic measurements. Our approach will facilitate the study of bacterial evolution in the light of rapidly expanding population genomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna K Pöntinen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jessica K Calland
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Harry A Thorpe
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Janetta Top
- Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Samuel K Sheppard
- Ineos Oxford Institute of Antimicrobial Research, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - David Balding
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, School of BioSciences and School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Croucher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jukka Corander
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Helsinki Institute of Information Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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4
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Meumann EM, Limmathurotsakul D, Dunachie SJ, Wiersinga WJ, Currie BJ. Burkholderia pseudomallei and melioidosis. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:155-169. [PMID: 37794173 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00972-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is found in soil and water of tropical and subtropical regions globally. Modelled estimates of the global burden predict that melioidosis remains vastly under-reported, and a call has been made for it to be recognized as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Severe weather events and environmental disturbance are associated with increased case numbers, and it is anticipated that, in some regions, cases will increase in association with climate change. Genomic epidemiological investigations have confirmed B. pseudomallei endemicity in newly recognized regions, including the southern United States. Melioidosis follows environmental exposure to B. pseudomallei and is associated with comorbidities that affect the immune response, such as diabetes, and with socioeconomic disadvantage. Several vaccine candidates are ready for phase I clinical trials. In this Review, we explore the global burden, epidemiology and pathophysiology of B. pseudomallei as well as current diagnostics, treatment recommendations and preventive measures, highlighting research needs and priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella M Meumann
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - Direk Limmathurotsakul
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susanna J Dunachie
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Willem J Wiersinga
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bart J Currie
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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5
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Yang Z, Wang M, Jia R, Chen S, Liu M, Zhao X, Yang Q, Wu Y, Zhang S, Huang J, Ou X, Mao S, Gao Q, Sun D, Tian B, He Y, Wu Z, Zhu D, Cheng A. Genome-based assessment of antimicrobial resistance reveals the lineage specificity of resistance and resistance gene profiles in Riemerella anatipestifer from China. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0313223. [PMID: 38169285 PMCID: PMC10846147 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03132-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) is an important pathogen that causes severe systemic infections in domestic ducks, resulting in substantial economic losses for China's waterfowl industry. Controlling R. anatipestifer with antibiotics is extremely challenging due to its multidrug resistance. Notably, large-scale studies on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the corresponding genetic determinants in R. anatipestifer remain scarce. To solve this dilemma, more than 400 nonredundant R. anatipestifer isolates collected from 22 provinces in China between 1994 and 2021 were subjected to broth dilution antibiotic susceptibility assays, and their resistance-associated genetic determinants were characterized by whole-genome sequencing. While over 90% of the isolates was resistant to sulfamethoxazole, kanamycin, gentamicin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim, 88.48% of the isolates was resistant to the last-resort drug (tigecycline). Notably, R. anatipestifer resistance to oxacillin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and tetracycline was found to increase relatively over time. Genome-wide analysis revealed the alarmingly high prevalence of blaOXA-like (93.05%) and tet(X) (90.64%) genes and the uneven distribution of resistance genes among lineages. Overall, this study reveals a serious AMR situation regarding R. anatipestifer in China, with a high prevalence and high diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes, providing important data for the rational use of antibiotics in veterinary practice.IMPORTANCERiemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer), an important waterfowl pathogen, has caused substantial economic losses worldwide, especially in China. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge in controlling this pathogen. Although a few studies have reported antimicrobial resistance in R. anatipestifer, comprehensive data remain a gap. This study aims to address the lack of information on R. anatipestifer AMR and its genetic basis. By analyzing more than 400 isolates collected over two decades, this study reveals alarming levels of resistance to several antibiotics, including drugs of last resort. The study also revealed the lineage-specificity of resistance profiles and resistance gene profiles. Overall, this study provides new insights and updated data support for understanding AMR and its genetic determinants in R. anatipestifer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhishuang Yang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shun Chen
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mafeng Liu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinxin Zhao
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shaqiu Zhang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xumin Ou
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Sai Mao
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qun Gao
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Di Sun
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bin Tian
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu He
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dekang Zhu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- International Joint Research Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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6
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Seng R, Chomkatekaew C, Tandhavanant S, Saiprom N, Phunpang R, Thaipadungpanit J, Batty EM, Day NPJ, Chantratita W, West TE, Thomson NR, Parkhill J, Chewapreecha C, Chantratita N. Genetic diversity, determinants, and dissemination of Burkholderia pseudomallei lineages implicated in melioidosis in northeast Thailand. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543359. [PMID: 38106061 PMCID: PMC10723255 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Melioidosis is an often-fatal neglected tropical disease caused by an environmental bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. However, our understanding of the disease-causing bacterial lineages, their dissemination, and adaptive mechanisms remains limited. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive genomic analysis of 1,391 B. pseudomallei isolates collected from nine hospitals in northeast Thailand between 2015 and 2018, and contemporaneous isolates from neighbouring countries, representing the most densely sampled collection to date. Our study identified three dominant lineages with unique gene sets enhancing bacterial fitness, indicating lineage-specific adaptation strategies. Crucially, recombination was found to drive lineage-specific gene flow. Transcriptome analyses of representative clinical isolates from each dominant lineage revealed heightened expression of lineage-specific genes in environmental versus infection conditions, notably under nutrient depletion, highlighting environmental persistence as a key factor in the success of dominant lineages. The study also revealed the role of environmental factors - slope of terrain, altitude, direction of rivers, and the northeast monsoons - in shaping B. pseudomallei geographical dispersal. Collectively, our findings highlight persistence in the environment as a pivotal element facilitating B. pseudomallei spread, and as a prelude to exposure and infection, thereby providing useful insights for informing melioidosis prevention and control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathanin Seng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chalita Chomkatekaew
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarunporn Tandhavanant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Natnaree Saiprom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rungnapa Phunpang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Janjira Thaipadungpanit
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Elizabeth M Batty
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas PJ Day
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Wasun Chantratita
- Center for Medical Genomics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - T. Eoin West
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Julian Parkhill
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire Chewapreecha
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Previous Affiliations: Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresource and Technology, King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narisara Chantratita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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7
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Zhang JX, Yuan Y, Hu QH, Jin DZ, Bai Y, Xin WW, Kang L, Wang JL. Identification of potential pathogenic targets and survival strategies of Vibrio vulnificus through population genomics. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1254379. [PMID: 37692161 PMCID: PMC10485832 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1254379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio vulnificus, a foodborne pathogen, has a high mortality rate. Despite its relevance to public health, the identification of virulence genes associated with the pathogenicity of currently known clinical isolates of V. vulnificus is incomplete and its synergistic pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we integrate whole genome sequencing (WGS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and genome-wide epistasis studies (GWES), along with phenotype characterization to investigate the pathogenesis and survival strategies of V. vulnificus. GWAS and GWES identified a total of six genes (purH, gmr, yiaV, dsbD, ramA, and wbpA) associated with the pathogenicity of clinical isolates related to nucleotide/amino acid transport and metabolism, cell membrane biogenesis, signal transduction mechanisms, and protein turnover. Of these, five were newly discovered potential specific virulence genes of V. vulnificus in this study. Furthermore, GWES combined with phenotype experiments indicated that V. vulnificus isolates were clustered into two ecological groups (EGs) that shared distinct biotic and abiotic factors, and ecological strategies. Our study reveals pathogenic mechanisms and their evolution in V. vulnificus to provide a solid foundation for designing new vaccines and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Qing-hua Hu
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Da-zhi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yao Bai
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Wen Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Lin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Beijing, China
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8
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Melioidosis and Burkholderia pseudomallei : progress in epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2022; 35:517-523. [PMID: 35942848 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Melioidosis and its causative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei are being found in unexpected locations and bacterial genotyping is providing new insights into global spread and where and how individuals are being infected. This review summarizes recent studies covering the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of melioidosis. RECENT FINDINGS Whole-genome sequencing of B. pseudomallei from patients and environmental sampling is informing the phylogeography of B. pseudomallei at regional, continental, and global levels, while also defining the epidemiology for individual cases. The situation in Africa remains the most unresolved, while the evolving story of B. pseudomallei in the Americas may establish that B. pseudomallei is endemic in parts of southern USA. Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of melioidosis are well established, and published mortality has decreased from 50% or higher to 10% or lower in some countries but access to laboratory and therapeutic resources are not available or are extremely limited in many melioidosis-endemic regions. SUMMARY The enormous clinical diversity of melioidosis and the complexities of laboratory diagnosis and of treatment make it a sentinel disease for highlighting the continuing global disparities in access to and provision of healthcare.
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9
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Wongpalee SP, Thananchai H, Chewapreecha C, Roslund HB, Chomkatekaew C, Tananupak W, Boonklang P, Pakdeerat S, Seng R, Chantratita N, Takarn P, Khamnoi P. Highly specific and sensitive detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei genomic DNA by CRISPR-Cas12a. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010659. [PMID: 36037185 PMCID: PMC9423629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei, a causative bacterium for melioidosis, remains a challenging undertaking due to long assay time, laboratory requirements, and the lack of specificity and sensitivity of many current assays. In this study, we are presenting a novel method that circumvents those issues by utilizing CRISPR-Cas12a coupled with isothermal amplification to identify B. pseudomallei DNA from clinical isolates. Through in silico search for conserved CRISPR-Cas12a target sites, we engineered the CRISPR-Cas12a to contain a highly specific spacer to B. pseudomallei, named crBP34. The crBP34-based detection assay can detect as few as 40 copies of B. pseudomallei genomic DNA while discriminating against other tested common pathogens. When coupled with a lateral flow dipstick, the assay readout can be simply performed without the loss of sensitivity and does not require expensive equipment. This crBP34-based detection assay provides high sensitivity, specificity and simple detection method for B. pseudomallei DNA. Direct use of this assay on clinical samples may require further optimization as these samples are complexed with high level of human DNA. Melioidosis is a fatal infectious disease caused by a Gram-negative bacterium called Burkholderia pseudomallei. The bacteria can be found in many parts of the world, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions. Infection displays a variety of symptoms such as pneumonia, organ abscess and septicemia. The latter can lead to death within 24–48 hours if not properly diagnosed and treated. Rapid and accurate diagnosis, consequently, are essential for saving patients’ lives. Currently, culturing B. pseudomallei is a gold standard diagnostic method, but the assay turnaround time is 2–4 days, and the result could be of low sensitivity. Other detection methods such as real-time PCR and serological assays are limited by availability of equipment and by low specificity in endemic areas, respectively. For these reasons, in this study we developed a specific, sensitive and rapid detection assay for B. pseudomallei DNA, that is based on CRISPR-Cas12a system. The CRISPR-Cas12a is a protein-RNA complex that recognizes DNA. The RNA can be reprogramed to guide the detection of any DNA of interest, which in our case B. pseudomallei genomic DNA. Our data showed that this assay exhibited a 100% specificity to B. pseudomallei while discriminating against 10 other pathogens and human. The assay can detect B. pseudomallei DNA in less than one hour and does not require sophisticated equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somsakul Pop Wongpalee
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- * E-mail:
| | - Hathairat Thananchai
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Claire Chewapreecha
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Henrik B. Roslund
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chalita Chomkatekaew
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Warunya Tananupak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Phumrapee Boonklang
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sukritpong Pakdeerat
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rathanin Seng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narisara Chantratita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piyawan Takarn
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Phadungkiat Khamnoi
- Microbiology Unit, Diagnostic Laboratory, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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10
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Shaw T, Assig K, Tellapragada C, Wagner GE, Choudhary M, Göhler A, Eshwara VK, Steinmetz I, Mukhopadhyay C. Environmental Factors Associated With Soil Prevalence of the Melioidosis Pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei: A Longitudinal Seasonal Study From South West India. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:902996. [PMID: 35847064 PMCID: PMC9283100 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.902996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Melioidosis is a seasonal infectious disease in tropical and subtropical areas caused by the soil bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. In many parts of the world, including South West India, most cases of human infections are reported during times of heavy rainfall, but the underlying causes of this phenomenon are not fully understood. India is among the countries with the highest predicted melioidosis burden globally, but there is very little information on the environmental distribution of B. pseudomallei and its determining factors. The present study aimed (i) to investigate the prevalence of B. pseudomallei in soil in South West India, (ii) determine geochemical factors associated with B. pseudomallei presence and (iii) look for potential seasonal patterns of B. pseudomallei soil abundance. Environmental samplings were performed in two regions during the monsoon and post-monsoon season and summer from July 2016 to November 2018. We applied direct quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) together with culture protocols to overcome the insufficient sensitivity of solely culture-based B. pseudomallei detection from soil. A total of 1,704 soil samples from 20 different agricultural sites were screened for the presence of B. pseudomallei. Direct qPCR detected B. pseudomallei in all 20 sites and in 30.2% (517/1,704) of all soil samples, whereas only two samples from two sites were culture-positive. B. pseudomallei DNA-positive samples were negatively associated with the concentration of iron, manganese and nitrogen in a binomial logistic regression model. The highest number of B. pseudomallei-positive samples (42.6%, p < 0.0001) and the highest B. pseudomallei loads in positive samples [median 4.45 × 103 genome equivalents (GE)/g, p < 0.0001] were observed during the monsoon season and eventually declined to 18.9% and a median of 1.47 × 103 GE/g in summer. In conclusion, our study from South West India shows a wide environmental distribution of B. pseudomallei, but also considerable differences in the abundance between sites and within single sites. Our results support the hypothesis that nutrient-depleted habitats promote the presence of B. pseudomallei. Most importantly, the highest B. pseudomallei abundance in soil is seen during the rainy season, when melioidosis cases occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Shaw
- Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Faculty of Life and Allied Health Sciences, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Karoline Assig
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Chaitanya Tellapragada
- Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gabriel E. Wagner
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Madhu Choudhary
- ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Karnal, India
| | - André Göhler
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vandana Kalwaje Eshwara
- Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance and Education, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Ivo Steinmetz
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- *Correspondence: Ivo Steinmetz,
| | - Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Centre for Emerging and Tropical Diseases, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay,
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