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Wetzstein N, Diricks M, Anton TB, Andres S, Kuhns M, Kohl TA, Schwarz C, Lewin A, Kehrmann J, Kahl BC, Schmidt A, Zimmermann S, Jansson MK, Baron SA, Schulthess B, Hogardt M, Friesen I, Niemann S, Wichelhaus TA. Clinical and genomic features of Mycobacterium avium complex: a multi-national European study. Genome Med 2024; 16:86. [PMID: 38982539 PMCID: PMC11232273 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-024-01359-8] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) comprises the most frequent non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Central Europe and currently includes twelve species. M. avium (MAV), M. intracellulare subsp. intracellulare (MINT), and M. intracellulare subsp. chimaera (MCH) are clinically most relevant. However, the population structure and genomic landscape of MAC linked with potential pathobiological differences remain little investigated. METHODS Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on a multi-national set of MAC isolates from Germany, France, and Switzerland. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted, as well as plasmids, resistance, and virulence genes predicted from WGS data. Data was set into a global context with publicly available sequences. Finally, detailed clinical characteristics were associated with genomic data in a subset of the cohort. RESULTS Overall, 610 isolates from 465 patients were included. The majority could be assigned to MAV (n = 386), MCH (n = 111), and MINT (n = 77). We demonstrate clustering with less than 12 SNPs distance of isolates obtained from different patients in all major MAC species and the identification of trans-European or even trans-continental clusters when set into relation with 1307 public sequences. However, none of our MCH isolates clustered closely with the heater-cooler unit outbreak strain Zuerich-1. Known plasmids were detected in MAV (325/1076, 30.2%), MINT (62/327, 19.0%), and almost all MCH-isolates (457/463, 98.7%). Predicted resistance to aminoglycosides or macrolides was rare. Overall, there was no direct link between phylogenomic grouping and clinical manifestations, but MCH and MINT were rarely found in patients with extra-pulmonary disease (OR 0.12 95% CI 0.04-0.28, p < 0.001 and OR 0.11 95% CI 0.02-0.4, p = 0.004, respectively) and MCH was negatively associated with fulfillment of the ATS criteria when isolated from respiratory samples (OR 0.28 95% CI 0.09-0.7, p = 0.011). With 14 out of 43 patients with available serial isolates, co-infections or co-colonizations with different strains or even species of the MAC were frequent (32.6%). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates clustering and the presence of plasmids in a large proportion of MAC isolates in Europe and in a global context. Future studies need to urgently define potential ways of transmission of MAC isolates and the potential involvement of plasmids in virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wetzstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Goethe University, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, FrankfurtFrankfurt Am Main, 60590, Germany.
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany.
| | - Margo Diricks
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Thomas B Anton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Goethe University, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, FrankfurtFrankfurt Am Main, 60590, Germany
| | - Sönke Andres
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- National and WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Martin Kuhns
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- National and WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Thomas A Kohl
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Carsten Schwarz
- Division of Cystic Fibrosis, CF Center Westbrandenburg, Campus Potsdam, Klinikum Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Astrid Lewin
- Unit Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Kehrmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Barbara C Kahl
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Annika Schmidt
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Zimmermann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz K Jansson
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Sophie A Baron
- Faculté de Médecine Et de Pharmacie, IRD, APHM, Aix Marseille Univ, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Bettina Schulthess
- National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Hogardt
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Goethe University, University Hospital, FrankfurtFrankfurt Am Main, Germany
- German National Consiliary Laboratory On Cystic Fibrosis Bacteriology, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Inna Friesen
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- National and WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Stefan Niemann
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- National and WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Thomas A Wichelhaus
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Goethe University, University Hospital, FrankfurtFrankfurt Am Main, Germany
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Glauser KG, Kelley RE, Leonard WJ, Hendrix J, Petri S, Tong EI, Chan YL, Lipner EM, Dawrs SN, Honda JR. Common Features of Environmental Mycobacterium chelonae from Colorado Using Partial and Whole Genomic Sequence Analyses. Curr Microbiol 2024; 81:69. [PMID: 38238596 PMCID: PMC10796651 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03589-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmentally acquired opportunistic pathogens that cause chronic lung disease in susceptible individuals. While presumed to be ubiquitous in built and natural environments, NTM environmental studies are limited. While environmental sampling campaigns have been performed in geographic areas of high NTM disease burden, NTM species diversity is less defined among areas of lower disease burden like Colorado. In Colorado, metals such as molybdenum have been correlated with increased risk for NTM infection, yet environmental NTM species diversity has not yet been widely studied. Based on prior regression modeling, three areas of predicted high, moderate, and low NTM risk were identified for environmental sampling in Colorado. Ice, plumbing biofilms, and sink tap water samples were collected from publicly accessible freshwater sources. All samples were microbiologically cultured and NTM were identified using partial rpoB gene sequencing. From these samples, areas of moderate risk were more likely to be NTM positive. NTM recovery from ice was more common than recovery from plumbing biofilms or tap water. Overall, nine different NTM species were identified, including clinically important Mycobacterium chelonae. MinION technology was used to whole genome sequence and compare mutational differences between six M. chelonae genomes, representing three environmental isolates from this study and three other M. chelonae isolates from other sources. Drug resistance genes and prophages were common findings among environmentally derived M. chelonae, promoting the need for expanded environmental sampling campaigns to improve our current understanding of NTM species abundance while opening new avenues for improved targeted drug therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayden G Glauser
- Department of Science, Principles of Experimental Design in Biotechnology, Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, CO, 80124, USA
| | - Reagan E Kelley
- Department of Science, Principles of Experimental Design in Biotechnology, Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, CO, 80124, USA
| | - William J Leonard
- Department of Science, Principles of Experimental Design in Biotechnology, Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, CO, 80124, USA
| | - Jo Hendrix
- Computational Bioscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Suzanne Petri
- Department of Science, Principles of Experimental Design in Biotechnology, Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, CO, 80124, USA
| | - Eric I Tong
- Aina Informatics Network, 'Iolani School, Honolulu, HI, 96826, USA
| | - Yvonne L Chan
- Aina Informatics Network, 'Iolani School, Honolulu, HI, 96826, USA
| | - Ettie M Lipner
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Stephanie N Dawrs
- Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, 80206, USA
| | - Jennifer R Honda
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX, 75708, USA.
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Derbyshire KM, Salfinger M. Plasmid-mediated drug resistance in mycobacteria: the tip of the iceberg? J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0062823. [PMID: 37724858 PMCID: PMC10595058 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00628-23] [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] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrolides, such as clarithromycin, are crucial in the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). NTM are notoriously innately drug resistant, which has made the dependence on macrolides for their treatment even more important. Not surprisingly, resistance to macrolides has been documented in some NTM, including Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium abscessus, which are the two NTM species most often identified in clinical isolates. Resistance is mediated by point mutations in the 23S ribosomal RNA or by methylation of the rRNA by a methylase (encoded by an erm gene). Chromosomally encoded erm genes have been identified in many of the macrolide-resistant isolates, but not in Mycobacterium chelonae. Now, Brown-Elliott et al. (J Clin Microbiol 61:e00428-23, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00428-23) describe the identification of a new erm variant, erm(55), which was found either on the chromosome or on a plasmid in highly macrolide-resistant clinical isolates of M. chelonae. The chromosomal erm(55) gene appears to be associated with mobile elements; one gene is within a putative transposon and the second is in a large (37 kb) insertion/deletion. The plasmid carrying erm(55) also encodes type IV and type VII secretion systems, which are often linked on large mycobacterial plasmids and are hypothesized to mediate plasmid transfer. While the conjugative transfer of the erm(55)-containing plasmid between NTM has yet to be demonstrated, the inferences are clear, as evidenced by the dissemination of plasmid-mediated drug resistance in other medically important bacteria. Here, we discuss the findings of Brown-Elliott et al., and the potential ramifications on treatment of NTM infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith M. Derbyshire
- Division of Genetics, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Max Salfinger
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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