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Ali S, Mushtaq A, Hassan L, Syed MA, Foster JT, Dadar M. Molecular epidemiology of brucellosis in Asia: insights from genotyping analyses. Vet Res Commun 2024:10.1007/s11259-024-10519-5. [PMID: 39230771 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10519-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Brucellosis infects humans and animals worldwide but is particularly prevalent in Asia. In many Asian countries, molecular diagnostic tools for accurate molecular diagnostics and molecular epidemiology are lacking. Nonetheless, some countries have conducted in-depth molecular epidemiological studies. The objective of this study was to reveal the genetic relationships, geographic origins, and distributions of Brucella strains across Asia for two primary species, B. abortus and B. melitensis. For this, we systematically searched genotyping data from published studies on the molecular epidemiology of Brucella species for both humans and livestock in Asia. We used data from multilocus sequence typing (MLST), multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), and whole genome sequencing analysis of Brucella strains. We also analyzed the MLVA genotypes of 129 B. abortus isolates and 242 B. melitensis isolates with known origins in Asia from an online MLVA database using MLVA-11 data in minimum spanning trees and MLVA-16 data in neighbor-joining trees. We found that the B. melitensis East Mediterranean lineage is predominant across the continent, with only a small number of samples from the Africa and Americas lineages, and none from the West Mediterranean lineage. The "abortus C" genotype was the most common group of B. abortus in Asia, with limited genetic variation for this species. Several studies also reported that Near Eastern countries frequently encounter human brucellosis cases of B. abortus from genotypes 42 and 43. Our study highlights the inconsistent collection of genetic data for Brucella species across Asia and a need for more extensive sampling in most countries. Finally, a consistent nomenclature is necessary to define various groupings of strains within a lineage (i.e., clade) so uniform terminology should denote particular genetic groups that are understood by all researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahzad Ali
- Wildlife Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (One Health Research Group), Discipline of Zoology, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Ravi Campus, Pattoki, Pakistan.
| | - Areeba Mushtaq
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Laiba Hassan
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Syed
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Maryam Dadar
- Brucellosis Department, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran.
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2
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Akar K, Holzer K, Hoelzle LE, Yıldız Öz G, Abdelmegid S, Baklan EA, Eroğlu B, Atıl E, Moustafa SA, Wareth G, Elkhayat M. An Evaluation of the Lineage of Brucella Isolates in Turkey by a Whole-Genome Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis. Vet Sci 2024; 11:316. [PMID: 39058000 PMCID: PMC11281417 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11070316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a disease caused by the Brucella (B.) species. It is a zoonotic disease that affects farm animals and causes economic losses in many countries worldwide. Brucella has the ability to persist in the environment and infect the host at low doses. Thus, it is more important to trace brucellosis outbreaks, identify their sources of infection, and interrupt their transmission. Some countries already have initial data, but most of these data are based on a Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis (MLVA), which is completely unsuitable for studying the Brucella genome. Since brucellosis is an endemic disease in Turkey, this study aimed to examine the genome of Turkish Brucella isolates collected between 2018 and 2020, except for one isolate, which was from 2012. A total of 28 strains of B. melitensis (n = 15) and B. abortus (n = 13) were analyzed using a core-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis. A potential connection between the Turkish isolates and entries from Sweden, Israel, Syria, Austria, and India for B. melitensis was detected. For B. abortus, there may be potential associations with entries from China. This explains the tight ties found between Brucella strains from neighboring countries and isolates from Turkey. Therefore, it is recommended that strict measures be taken and the possible effects of uncontrolled animal introduction are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadir Akar
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65090 Van, Turkey
| | - Katharina Holzer
- Department of Livestock Infectiology and Environmental Hygiene, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany;
| | - Ludwig E. Hoelzle
- Department of Livestock Infectiology and Environmental Hygiene, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany;
| | - Gülseren Yıldız Öz
- NRL for Brucellosis, Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, 34890 Istanbul, Turkey; (G.Y.Ö.); (E.A.B.); (B.E.); (E.A.)
| | | | - Emin Ayhan Baklan
- NRL for Brucellosis, Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, 34890 Istanbul, Turkey; (G.Y.Ö.); (E.A.B.); (B.E.); (E.A.)
| | - Buket Eroğlu
- NRL for Brucellosis, Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, 34890 Istanbul, Turkey; (G.Y.Ö.); (E.A.B.); (B.E.); (E.A.)
| | - Eray Atıl
- NRL for Brucellosis, Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, 34890 Istanbul, Turkey; (G.Y.Ö.); (E.A.B.); (B.E.); (E.A.)
| | - Shawky A. Moustafa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt; (S.A.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 07743 Jena, Germany;
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Manar Elkhayat
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt; (S.A.M.); (M.E.)
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Park JH, Kim TS, Park H, Kang CK. Delay in the diagnosis of Brucella abortus bacteremia in a nonendemic country: a case report. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:489. [PMID: 38741035 PMCID: PMC11089730 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09377-y] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is challenging to diagnose brucellosis in nonendemic regions because it is a nonspecific febrile disease. The accurate identification of Brucella spp. in clinical microbiology laboratories (CMLs) continues to pose difficulties. Most reports of misidentification are for B. melitensis, and we report a rare case of misidentified B. abortus. CASE PRESENTATION A 67-year-old man visited an outpatient clinic complaining of fatigue, fever, and weight loss. The patient had a history of slaughtering cows with brucellosis one year prior, and his Brucella antibody tests were negative twice. After blood culture, the administration of doxycycline and rifampin was initiated. The patient was hospitalized due to a positive blood culture. Gram-negative coccobacilli were detected in aerobic blood culture bottles, but the CML's lack of experience with Brucella prevented appropriate further testing. Inaccurate identification results were obtained for a GN ID card of VITEK 2 (bioMérieux, USA) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) using a MALDI Biotyper (Bruker, Germany). The strain showed 100.0% identity with Brucella spp. according to 16S rRNA sequencing. MALDI-TOF MS peaks were reanalyzed using the CDC MicrobeNet database to determine Brucella spp. (score value: 2.023). The patient was discharged after nine days of hospitalization and improved after maintaining only doxycycline for six weeks. The isolate was also identified as Brucella abortus by genomic evidence. CONCLUSION Automated identification instruments and MALDI-TOF MS are widely used to identify bacteria in CMLs, but there are limitations in accurately identifying Brucella spp. It is important for CMLs to be aware of the possibility of brucellosis through communication with clinicians. Performing an analysis with an additional well-curated MALDI-TOF MS database such as Bruker security-relevant (SR) database or CDC MicrobeNet database is helpful for quickly identifying the genus Brucella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hyeon Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taek Soo Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoong Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Kyung Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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Li Y, Yu Y, Zhao J, Ding S, Zhang G, Yu X, Kou Z. Molecular Epidemiological Study of a Human Brucellosis Outbreak - Weihai City, Shandong Province, China, 2022. China CDC Wkly 2024; 6:230-234. [PMID: 38633432 PMCID: PMC11018512 DOI: 10.46234/ccdcw2024.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
What is already known about this topic? Brucellosis, mainly caused by Brucella melitensis (B. melitensis), is regarded as a significant zoonotic disease in China. In Weihai, located at the eastern end of the Shandong Peninsula, brucellosis has been in a low epidemic phase for the past five years. What is added by this report? This was the initial report of a brucellosis outbreak in the last five years. Strains of B. melitensis bv. 3 from Weihai and other cities showed a close genetic relationship, suggesting a potential common ancestry. What are the implications for public health practice? Epidemiological investigations depend on standardized and effective molecular typing methods and analysis tools for public health laboratories to identify and trace outbreaks. Understanding the circulation patterns of livestock in free-range households in heavily affected areas is essential for controlling the spread of brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yifan Yu
- Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Weihai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Weihai City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shujun Ding
- Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Guoying Zhang
- Weihai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Weihai City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaolin Yu
- Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zengqiang Kou
- Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
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Vargas-Castro I, Crespo-Picazo JL, Fayos M, Jiménez-Martínez MDLÁ, Torre-Fuentes L, Álvarez J, Moura AE, Hernández M, Buendía A, Barroso-Arévalo S, García-Seco T, Pérez-Sancho M, De Miguel MJ, Andrés-Barranco S, Marco-Cabedo V, Peñin-Villahoz G, Muñoz PM, Domínguez L, García-Párraga D, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. New insights into the pathogenesis and transmission of Brucella pinnipedialis: systemic infection in two bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0199723. [PMID: 37800951 PMCID: PMC10848334 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01997-23] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Brucella spp. are zoonotic pathogens that can affect both terrestrial and marine mammals. Brucella ceti has been identified in various cetacean species, but only one sequence type (ST27) has been reported in humans. However, it is important to conduct surveillance studies to better understand the impact of marine Brucella species on marine mammals, a typically understudied host group. Here, we describe a systemic infection by two related strains of Brucella pinnipedialis (ST25) in a couple of live-stranded bottlenose dolphins, with more severe lesions in the younger animal. Furthermore, B. pinnipedialis was first detected in milk from a female cetacean that stranded with its offspring. Our study reveals novel insights into the epidemiology and pathological consequences of B. pinnipedialis infections in cetaceans, emphasizing the crucial importance of ongoing surveillance and accurate diagnosis to understand the impact of this pathogen on marine mammal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Vargas-Castro
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Manena Fayos
- Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | | | - Laura Torre-Fuentes
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Álvarez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - André E. Moura
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Hernández
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Buendía
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Barroso-Arévalo
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa García-Seco
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez-Sancho
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Jesús De Miguel
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA) - Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, España, Spain
| | - Sara Andrés-Barranco
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA) - Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, España, Spain
| | - Vicente Marco-Cabedo
- />Fundación Oceanogràfic. Oceanogràfic. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Pilar María Muñoz
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA) - Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, España, Spain
| | - Lucas Domínguez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- />Fundación Oceanogràfic. Oceanogràfic. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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6
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Brangsch H, Horstkotte MA, Melzer F. Genotypic peculiarities of a human brucellosis case caused by Brucella suis biovar 5. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16586. [PMID: 37789135 PMCID: PMC10547717 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43570-4] [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: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human brucellosis cases are rare in non-endemic countries, such as Germany, where infections are predominantly caused by Brucella melitensis. The German National Reference Laboratory for Bovine, Porcine, Ovine and Caprine Brucellosis received a suspected Brucella sp. isolate from a patient for identification. Bacteriological tests and PCR-based diagnostics showed the isolate to be B. suis, but did not yield cohesive results regarding the biovar. Whole genome sequencing and subsequent genotyping was employed for a detailed characterization of the isolate and elucidating the reason for failure of the diagnostic PCR to correctly identify the biovar. The isolate was found to be B. suis bv. 5, a rare biovar with limited geographical distribution primarily found in the Northern Caucasus. Due to a deletion in one of the target regions of the diagnostic PCR, the isolate could not be correctly typed. Based on in silico genotyping it could be excluded that the isolate was identical to one of the B. suis bv. 5 reference strains. Here, we report a rare case of a B. suis bv. 5 field isolate. Furthermore, by reporting this finding, we want to make practitioners aware of possible misinterpretation of PCR results, as it cannot be excluded that the detected deletion is common among the B. suis bv. 5 community, as there is currently a lack of field isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanka Brangsch
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany.
| | | | - Falk Melzer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
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Xue H, Zhao Z, Wang J, Ma L, Li J, Yang X, Ren L, Xu L, Liu Z, Li Z. Native circulating Brucella melitensis lineages causing a brucellosis epidemic in Qinghai, China. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1233686. [PMID: 37799605 PMCID: PMC10547896 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1233686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 2010, the cases and incidences of human brucellosis have been increasing annually in Qinghai (QH) Province. Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analyses of strains from this region are crucial to better understand the transmission of the disease and the evolutionary patterns of Brucella strains. In this study, classical bio-typing assay, multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis, and the whole-genome sequencing-single-nucleotide polymorphism approach were used to illustrate the epidemiological and evolutionary patterns of Brucella melitensis. A total of 54 B. melitensis bv. 3 strains were isolated and molecularly characterized, with all strains belonging to the East Mediterranean lineages. Cross-regional transmission events (i.e., between counties) were caused by common sources of infection, suggesting that predominant circulating genotypes are endemic in different regions. Strengthening surveillance in animal brucellosis and controlling infected animals' cross-border movement are necessary. Two strains isolated from humans and marmots were clustered in the same sub-clade, implying the possible existence of direct and/or indirect contact between sheep (and goats) and wildlife (marmots), but this needs to be verified by further investigations. The global-scale phylogenetic analysis indicated that 54 strains sorted into six subclades, four of which formed independent lineages, suggesting that the increase in the incidence rate of human brucellosis may be caused by local circulating lineages. Further strengthening the serology and pathogen surveillance of animals (wildlife) and humans will contribute to an in-depth understanding of the transmission chain of human brucellosis in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Xue
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Zhijun Zhao
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Jianling Wang
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Jiquan Li
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Xuxin Yang
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Lingling Ren
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Liqing Xu
- Department of Brucellosis Prevention and Control, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
| | - Zhenjun Li
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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Brangsch H, Sandalakis V, Babetsa M, Boukouvala E, Ntoula A, Makridaki E, Christidou A, Psaroulaki A, Akar K, Gürbilek SE, Jamil T, Melzer F, Neubauer H, Wareth G. Genotype diversity of brucellosis agents isolated from humans and animals in Greece based on whole-genome sequencing. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:529. [PMID: 37580676 PMCID: PMC10426126 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08518-z] [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: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease whose causative agent, Brucella spp., is endemic in many countries of the Mediterranean basin, including Greece. Although the occurrence of brucellosis must be reported to the authorities, it is believed that the disease is under-reported in Greece, and knowledge about the genomic diversity of brucellae is lacking. METHODS Thus, 44 Brucella isolates, primarily B. melitensis, collected between 1999 and 2009 from humans and small ruminants in Greece were subjected to whole genome sequencing using short-read technology. The raw reads and assembled genomes were used for in silico genotyping based on single nucleotide substitutions and alleles. Further, specific genomic regions encoding putative virulence genes were screened for characteristic nucleotide changes, which arose in different genotype lineages. RESULTS In silico genotyping revealed that the isolates belonged to three of the known sublineages of the East Mediterranean genotype. In addition, a novel subgenotype was identified that was basal to the other East Mediterranean sublineages, comprising two Greek strains. The majority of the isolates can be assumed to be of endemic origin, as they were clustered with strains from the Western Balkans or Turkey, whereas one strain of human origin could be associated with travel to another endemic region, e.g. Portugal. Further, nucleotide substitutions in the housekeeping gene rpoB and virulence-associated genes were detected, which were characteristic of the different subgenotypes. One of the isolates originating from an aborted bovine foetus was identified as B. abortus vaccine strain RB51. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate the existence of several distinct persistent Brucella sp. foci in Greece. To detect these and for tracing infection chains, extensive sampling initiatives are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanka Brangsch
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), 07743, Jena, Germany.
| | - Vassilios Sandalakis
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, 71500, Greece
| | - Maria Babetsa
- Veterinary Research Institute, ELGO-DIMITRA, Campus of Thermi, Thermi, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evridiki Boukouvala
- Veterinary Research Institute, ELGO-DIMITRA, Campus of Thermi, Thermi, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Artemisia Ntoula
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, 71500, Greece
| | - Eirini Makridaki
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, 71500, Greece
| | - Athanasia Christidou
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, 71500, Greece
| | - Anna Psaroulaki
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, 71500, Greece
| | - Kadir Akar
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, 65090, Turkey
| | - Sevil Erdenlig Gürbilek
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Harran University, Şanlıurfa, 63200, Turkey
| | - Tariq Jamil
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Falk Melzer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), 07743, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Germany
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9
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Scholz HC, Heckers KO, Appelt S, Geier-Dömling D, Schlegel P, Wattam AR. Isolation of Brucella inopinata from a White's tree frog ( Litoria caerulea): pose exotic frogs a potential risk to human health? Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1173252. [PMID: 37362939 PMCID: PMC10285381 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1173252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cold-blooded hosts, particularly exotic frogs, have become a newly recognized reservoir for atypical Brucella species and strains worldwide, but their pathogenicity to humans remains largely unknown. Here we report the isolation and molecular characterization of a B. inopinata strain (FO700662) cultured from clinical samples taken from a captive diseased White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) in Switzerland. The isolation of B. inopinata from a frog along with other reports of human infection by atypical Brucella raises the question of whether atypical Brucella could pose a risk to human health and deserves further attention. Methods The investigations included histopathological analysis of the frog, bacterial culture and in-depth molecular characterization of strain FO700662 based on genome sequencing data. Results and Discussion Originally identified as Ochrobactrum based on its rapid growth and biochemical profile, strain FO700622 was positive for the Brucella- specific markers bcsp31 and IS711. It showed the specific banding pattern of B. inopinata in conventional Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR and also had identical 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences as B. inopinata. Subsequent genome sequencing followed by core genome-based MLST (cgMLST) analysis using 2704 targets (74% of the total chromosome) revealed only 173 allelic differences compared to the type strain of B. inopinata BO1T, while previously considered the closest related strain BO2 differed in 2046 alleles. The overall average nucleotide identity (ANI) between the type strain BO1T and FO700622 was 99,89%, confirming that both strains were almost identical. In silico MLST-21 and MLVA-16 also identified strain FO700662 as B. inopinata. The nucleotide and amino acid-based phylogenetic reconstruction and comparative genome analysis again placed the isolate together with B. inopinata with 100% support. In conclusion, our data unequivocally classified strain FO700622, isolated from an exotic frog, as belonging to B. inopinata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger C. Scholz
- Department of Bacteriology and Toxinology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Kim O. Heckers
- LABOklin GmbH and Co KG, Labor für klinische Diagnostik, Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Appelt
- Department of Bacteriology and Toxinology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Patrick Schlegel
- Kleintierpraxis Dr. med vet. Patrick Schlegel, Sargans, Switzerland
| | - Alice R. Wattam
- Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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10
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Dadar M, Brangsch H, Alamian S, Neubauer H, Wareth G. Whole-genome sequencing for genetic diversity analysis of Iranian Brucella spp. isolated from humans and livestock. One Health 2023; 16:100483. [PMID: 36632477 PMCID: PMC9827381 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonoses in the Middle East. It is causing economic losses to the livestock industry and has a great public health concern. Little is known about the genetic diversity and distribution of brucellae in Iran. Therefore, forty Brucella spp. strains (B. abortus and B. melitensis) isolated from animals and humans were analyzed by whole genome sequencing (WGS) technology using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis and core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Brucella isolates were obtained from lymph nodes (cows and camels), milk (cows, camels and sheep), and aborted foetus samples (sheep and goats), as well as cerebrospinal fluid and blood of humans. The isolates were originating from thirteen provinces of Iran and isolated between 2015 and 2020. According to in-silico MLST, ST8 and ST2 were the most frequent sequence types in B. melitensis and B. abortus, respectively. Based on phylogeographic reconstruction using cgSNP analysis, the investigated Iranian B. melitensis strains belonged to the American and Mediterranean lineages of the B. melitensis phylogeny. Furthermore, cgSNP analysis revealed a similarity between Iranian B. abortus isolates and strains from Iraq and Egypt. Therefore, the origin of the Iranian strains can be suggested to be strains from neighboring and Middle East countries. Moreover, cgMLST analysis showed that the Iranian B. melitensis strains were closely relative to strains recovered from sheep and humans in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan. In the current panel of strains, cgMLST and cgSNP analysis provided an appropriate and accurate tool for effective traceback analyses for Brucella spp. from Iran. The results of cgSNP and cgMLST helped to understand the geographic distribution and interspecies transmission of Iranian strains and highlight the importance of specific brucellosis control measures in Iran with regard to the One-Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Dadar
- Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | - Hanka Brangsch
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Saeed Alamian
- Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
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11
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Bardenstein S, Grupel D, Blum SE, Motro Y, Moran-Gilad J. Public and animal health risks associated with spillover of Brucella melitensis into dairy farms. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen001014. [PMID: 37115199 PMCID: PMC10210956 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonosis with important public health, animal health and economic implications. Brucella melitensis, commonly associated with small ruminants, is an emerging bovine pathogen in dairy farms. We analysed all B. melitensis outbreaks affecting dairy farms in Israel since 2006, combining traditional and genomic epidemiology to explore the public health implications of this One Health challenge. Whole-genome sequencing was applied to bovine and related human B. melitensis isolates from dairy farm outbreaks. cgMLST-based and SNP-based typing was integrated with epidemiological and investigation data. A secondary analysis combining the bovine-human isolates with endemic human isolates from southern Israel was performed. A total of 92 isolates from dairy cows and related human cases originating from 18 epidemiological clusters were analysed. Most genomic and epi-clusters were congruent, but sequencing showed relatedness between apparently unrelated farm outbreaks. Nine secondary human infections were also genomically confirmed. The bovine-human cohort appeared intermixed with 126 endemic human isolates in southern Israel. We show a persistent and widespread circulation of B. melitensis in dairy farms in Israel with secondary occupational human infection. The genomic epidemiology also uncovered cryptic connections between outbreaks. A regional connection between bovine and endemic human brucellosis cases points to a common reservoir, most probably local small ruminant herds. Control of humans and bovine brucellosis is inseparable. Epidemiological and microbiological surveillance and implementation of control measures across the entire range of farm animals is needed to mitigate this public health challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Bardenstein
- Kimron Veterinary Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Beit Dagan, Israel
| | - Daniel Grupel
- Internal Medicine B, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shlomo E. Blum
- Kimron Veterinary Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Beit Dagan, Israel
| | - Yair Motro
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Jacob Moran-Gilad
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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12
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Macías Luaces L, Boll K, Klose C, Domogalla-Urbansky J, Müller M, Eisenberger D, Riehm JM. Seroprevalence of Brucella Infection in Wild Boars ( Sus scrofa) of Bavaria, Germany, 2019 to 2021 and Associated Genome Analysis of Five B. suis Biovar 2 Isolates. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020478. [PMID: 36838443 PMCID: PMC9959221 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella species are highly pathogenic zoonotic agents and are found in vertebrates all over the world. To date, Germany is officially declared free from brucellosis and continuous surveillance is currently limited to farm ruminants. However, porcine brucellosis, mostly caused by B. suis biovar 2, is still found in wild boars and hares. In the present study, a three-year monitoring program was conducted focusing on the wild boar population in the state of Bavaria. Serologic screening of 11,956 animals and a direct pathogen detection approach, including a subset of 681 tissue samples, was carried out. The serologic incidence was 17.9%, which is in approximate accordance with previously published results from various European countries. Applying comparative whole genome analysis, five isolated B. suis biovar 2 strains from Bavaria could be assigned to three known European genetic lineages. One isolate was closely related to another strain recovered in Germany in 2006. Concluding, porcine brucellosis is endemic in Bavaria and the wild boar population represents a reservoir for genetically distinct B. suis biovar 2 strains. However, the transmission risk of swine brucellosis to humans and farm animals is still regarded as minor due to low zoonotic potential, awareness, and biosafety measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Macías Luaces
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Kerstin Boll
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Corinna Klose
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Janina Domogalla-Urbansky
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Müller
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Eisenberger
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia M. Riehm
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Department of Animal Health, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9131-6808-5178
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13
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Shevtsov A, Cloeckaert A, Berdimuratova K, Shevtsova E, Shustov AV, Amirgazin A, Karibayev T, Kamalova D, Zygmunt MS, Ramanculov Y, Vergnaud G. Brucella abortus in Kazakhstan, population structure and comparison with worldwide genetic diversity. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1106994. [PMID: 37032899 PMCID: PMC10073595 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1106994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella abortus is the main causative agent of brucellosis in cattle, leading to severe economic consequences in agriculture and affecting public health. The zoonotic nature of the infection increases the need to control the spread and dynamics of outbreaks in animals with the incorporation of high resolution genotyping techniques. Based on such methods, B. abortus is currently divided into three clades, A, B, and C. The latter includes subclades C1 and C2. This study presents the results of whole-genome sequencing of 49 B. abortus strains isolated in Kazakhstan between 1947 and 2015 and of 36 B. abortus strains of various geographic origins isolated from 1940 to 2004. In silico Multiple Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) allowed to assign strains from Kazakhstan to subclades C1 and to a much lower extend C2. Whole-genome Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (wgSNP) analysis of the 46 strains of subclade C1 with strains of worldwide origins showed clustering with strains from neighboring countries, mostly North Caucasia, Western Russia, but also Siberia, China, and Mongolia. One of the three Kazakhstan strains assigned to subclade C2 matched the B. abortus S19 vaccine strain used in cattle, the other two were genetically close to the 104 M vaccine strain. Bayesian phylodynamic analysis dated the introduction of B. abortus subclade C1 into Kazakhstan to the 19th and early 20th centuries. We discuss this observation in view of the history of population migrations from Russia to the Kazakhstan steppes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandr Shevtsov
- National Center for Biotechnology, Astana, Kazakhstan
- *Correspondence: Alexandr Shevtsov,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yerlan Ramanculov
- National Center for Biotechnology, Astana, Kazakhstan
- School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Gilles Vergnaud
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Gilles Vergnaud,
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14
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Serum PCR Diagnosis of Brucella melitensis Infection in Rev. 1 Vaccinated Sheep. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres14010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Serological diagnosis provides a robust and effective approach to monitoring and controlling small ruminant brucellosis. Brucella melitensis Rev. 1 is a live vaccine strain used in prophylactic vaccination against small ruminant brucellosis. Because the vaccine strain shares identical serological antigens with the corresponding field strains, differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) serological responses hamper surveillance campaigns and interventions that involve vaccination. We have developed a serum PCR-based approach in which we amplify and sequence Brucella omp2a as a DIVA solution and tRNA (uracil-5-)-methyltransferase as a species marker in the serum samples to determine the etiological agent involved in brucellosis field cases. Using this method, we identified the involvement of both the Rev. 1 vaccine strain and a field strain in an outbreak of brucellosis in a flock. This method represents a novel approach in studying the etiology of brucellosis using serum samples as a source of the pathogen’s DNA.
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15
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Kydyshov K, Usenbaev N, Berdiev S, Dzhaparova A, Abidova A, Kebekbaeva N, Abdyraev M, Wareth G, Brangsch H, Melzer F, Neubauer H, Pletz MW. First record of the human infection of Brucella melitensis in Kyrgyzstan: evidence from whole-genome sequencing-based analysis. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:120. [PMID: 36482466 PMCID: PMC9730661 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01044-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brucellosis, a zoonosis mainly transmitted by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products as well as direct contact with infected animals, is endemic in Kyrgyzstan. However, Brucella species in humans have not been investigated and the origin of the disease remains poorly known in wide parts of Сentral Asia. Thus, molecular characterization of the circulating strains is a critical first step in understanding Brucella diversity in the country. METHODS In this study, isolates were collected from patients with suspected brucellosis from different regions in Kyrgyzstan between 2019 and 2020. The detection and identification of Brucella was carried out by Bruce-ladder PCR. Next generation sequencing was used to sequence the 89 Brucella isolates, which were genotyped by cgSNP and cgMLST to identify epidemiological connection between Brucella isolates as well as placing them in the context of the global Brucella phylogeny. RESULTS The Brucella strains isolated from all regions of Kyrgyzstan were identified as B. melitensis. Based on cgSNP analysis, 18 sequence types were differentiated. The highest numbers of different sequence types were found in Batken (n = 8), Osh (n = 8) and Jalal-Abad (n = 6) oblasts. According to cgSNP and cgMLST analyses, different B. melitensis lineages circulate in Kyrgyzstan, all of them belonging to the Eastern Mediterranean group of the global Brucella phylogeny with the highest similarity to strains from Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey. CONCLUSION In the present study, B. melitensis was identified as a causative agent of human brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan and different lineages could be identified. Since this study focused on isolates of human origin, the identity of Brucella species and lineages circulating among animal populations remains elusive. Implementing culture techniques and use of most recent molecular, bioinformatic and epidemiological tools are needed to set up a One Health approach to combat brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan. Further, other Сentral Asian countries need to take part in this effort as brucellosis is a transboundary disease in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalysbek Kydyshov
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Nurbolot Usenbaev
- Republican Center for Quarantine and Highly Dangerous Infections of Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Stalbek Berdiev
- Republican Center for Quarantine and Highly Dangerous Infections of Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Aigul Dzhaparova
- Republican Center for Quarantine and Highly Dangerous Infections of Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Aziza Abidova
- Republican Center for Quarantine and Highly Dangerous Infections of Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Nuraiym Kebekbaeva
- Republican Center for Quarantine and Highly Dangerous Infections of Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Murat Abdyraev
- Kyrgyz Scientific Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Hanka Brangsch
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Falk Melzer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Mathias W. Pletz
- grid.275559.90000 0000 8517 6224Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, Germany
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16
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Ramadan AA. Bacterial typing methods from past to present: A comprehensive overview. GENE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2022.101675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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17
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Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme for Improved Characterization and Epidemiological Surveillance of Pathogenic Brucella. J Clin Microbiol 2022; 60:e0031122. [PMID: 35852343 PMCID: PMC9387271 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00311-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis poses a significant burden to human and animal health worldwide. Robust and harmonized molecular epidemiological approaches and population studies that include routine disease screening are needed to efficiently track the origin and spread of Brucella strains. Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) is a powerful genotyping system commonly used to delineate pathogen transmission routes for disease surveillance and control. Except for Brucella melitensis, cgMLST schemes for Brucella species are currently not established. Here, we describe a novel cgMLST scheme that covers multiple Brucella species. We first determined the phylogenetic breadth of the genus using 612 Brucella genomes. We selected 1,764 genes that were particularly well conserved and typeable in at least 98% of these genomes. We tested the new scheme on 600 genomes and found high agreement with the whole-genome-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. Next, we applied the scheme to reanalyze the genome of Brucella strains from epidemiologically linked outbreaks. We demonstrated the applicability of the new scheme for high-resolution typing required in outbreak investigations as previously reported with whole-genome SNP methods. We also used the novel scheme to define the global population structure of the genus using 1,322 Brucella genomes. Finally, we demonstrated the possibility of tracing distribution of Brucella strains by performing cluster analysis of cgMLST profiles and found nearly identical cgMLST profiles in different countries. Our results show that sequencing depth of more than 40-fold is optimal for allele calling with this scheme. In summary, this study describes a novel Brucella-wide cgMLST scheme that is applicable in Brucella molecular epidemiology and helps in accurately tracking and thus controlling the sources of infection. The scheme is publicly accessible and should represent a valuable resource for laboratories with limited computational resources and bioinformatics expertise.
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Craddock HA, Motro Y, Zilberman B, Khalfin B, Bardenstein S, Moran-Gilad J. Long-Read Sequencing and Hybrid Assembly for Genomic Analysis of Clinical Brucella melitensis Isolates. Microorganisms 2022; 10:619. [PMID: 35336193 PMCID: PMC8955392 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella melitensis is a key etiological agent of brucellosis and has been increasingly subject to characterization using sequencing methodologies. This study aimed to investigate and compare short-read, long-read, and hybrid assemblies of B. melitensis. Eighteen B. melitensis isolates from Southern Israel were sequenced using Illumina and the Oxford Nanopore (ONP) MinION, and hybrid assemblies were generated with ONP long reads scaffolded on Illumina short reads. Short reads were assembled with INNUca with SPADes, long reads and hybrid with dragonflye. Abricate with the virulence factor database (VFDB) and in silico PCR (for the genes BetB, BPE275, BSPB, manA, mviN, omp19, perA, PrpA, VceC, and ureI) were used for identifying virulence genes, and a total of 61 virulence genes were identified in short-read, long-read, and hybrid assemblies of all 18 isolates. The phylogenetic analysis using long-read assemblies revealed several inconsistencies in cluster assignment as compared to using hybrid and short-read assemblies. Overall, hybrid assembly provided the most comprehensive data, and stand-alone short-read sequencing provided comparable data to stand-alone long-read sequencing regarding virulence genes. For genomic epidemiology studies, stand-alone ONP sequencing may require further refinement in order to be useful in endemic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary A. Craddock
- Microbiology, Advanced Genomics and Infection Control Application Laboratory (MAGICAL) Group, Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; (H.A.C.); (Y.M.); (B.Z.); (B.K.)
| | - Yair Motro
- Microbiology, Advanced Genomics and Infection Control Application Laboratory (MAGICAL) Group, Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; (H.A.C.); (Y.M.); (B.Z.); (B.K.)
| | - Bar Zilberman
- Microbiology, Advanced Genomics and Infection Control Application Laboratory (MAGICAL) Group, Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; (H.A.C.); (Y.M.); (B.Z.); (B.K.)
| | - Boris Khalfin
- Microbiology, Advanced Genomics and Infection Control Application Laboratory (MAGICAL) Group, Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; (H.A.C.); (Y.M.); (B.Z.); (B.K.)
| | | | - Jacob Moran-Gilad
- Microbiology, Advanced Genomics and Infection Control Application Laboratory (MAGICAL) Group, Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; (H.A.C.); (Y.M.); (B.Z.); (B.K.)
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19
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Zilberman B, Motro Y, Sagi O, Kornspan D, Ben-Shimol S, Gdalevich M, Yagel Y, Davidovitch N, Khalfin B, Rabinowitz P, Nesher L, Grotto I, Bardenstein S, Moran-Gilad J. Genomic Epidemiology of Clinical Brucella melitensis Isolates from Southern Israel. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020238. [PMID: 35208693 PMCID: PMC8878301 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020238] [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: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis, a zoonosis mainly transmitted by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, is endemic in Southern Israel, mainly among the Bedouin Arab population. However, the genomic epidemiology of B. melitensis in this region has not yet been elucidated. A cohort of brucellosis cases (n = 118) diagnosed between 2017–2019 was studied using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Phylogenetic analyses utilized core genome MLST (cgMLST) for all local isolates and core genome SNPs for 347 human-associated B. melitensis genomes, including Israeli and publicly available sequences. Israeli isolates formed two main clusters, presenting a notable diversity, with no clear dominance of a specific strain. On a global scale, the Israeli genomes clustered according to their geographical location, in proximity to genomes originating from the Middle East, and formed the largest cluster in the tree, suggesting relatively high conservation. Our study unveils the genomic epidemiology of B. melitensis in Southern Israel, implicating that rather than a common source, the transmission pattern of brucellosis among Bedouin communities is complex, predominantly local, and household-based. Further, genomic surveillance of B. melitensis is expected to inform future public health and veterinary interventions and clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bar Zilberman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
| | - Yair Motro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
| | - Orli Sagi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84101, Israel
| | - David Kornspan
- Brucellosis Lab, OIE, FAO Reference Laboratory, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel; (D.K.); (S.B.)
| | - Shalom Ben-Shimol
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84101, Israel
| | - Michael Gdalevich
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Southern District Health Office, Ministry of Health, Beer Sheva 84104, Israel
| | - Yael Yagel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84101, Israel
| | - Nadav Davidovitch
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
| | - Boris Khalfin
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
| | - Peter Rabinowitz
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Lior Nesher
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84101, Israel
| | - Itamar Grotto
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
| | - Svetlana Bardenstein
- Brucellosis Lab, OIE, FAO Reference Laboratory, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel; (D.K.); (S.B.)
| | - Jacob Moran-Gilad
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (B.Z.); (Y.M.); (O.S.); (S.B.-S.); (M.G.); (Y.Y.); (N.D.); (B.K.); (L.N.); (I.G.)
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84101, Israel
- Correspondence:
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20
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Pelerito A, Nunes A, Grilo T, Isidro J, Silva C, Ferreira AC, Valdezate S, Núncio MS, Georgi E, Gomes JP. Genetic Characterization of Brucella spp.: Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Approach for the Determination of Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Profiles. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:740068. [PMID: 34867857 PMCID: PMC8633399 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.740068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is an important zoonosis that is emerging in some regions of the world, gaining increased relevance with the inclusion of the causing agent Brucella spp. in the class B bioterrorism group. Until now, multi-locus VNTR Analysis (MLVA) based on 16 loci has been considered as the gold standard for Brucella typing. However, this methodology is laborious, and, with the rampant release of Brucella genomes, the transition from the traditional MLVA to whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based typing is on course. Nevertheless, in order to avoid a disruptive transition with the loss of massive genetic data obtained throughout the last decade and considering that the transition timings will vary considerably among different countries, it is important to determine WGS-based MLVA alleles of the nowadays sequenced genomes. On this regard, we aimed to evaluate the performance of a Python script that had been previously developed for the rapid in silico extraction of the MLVA alleles, by comparing it to the PCR-based MLVA procedure over 83 strains from different Brucella species. The WGS-based MLVA approach detected 95.3% of all possible 1,328 hits (83 strains×16 loci) and showed an agreement rate with the PCR-based MLVA procedure of 96.4% for MLVA-16. According to our dataset, we suggest the use of a minimal depth of coverage of ~50x and a maximum number of ~200 contigs as guiding “boundaries” for the future application of the script. In conclusion, the evaluated script seems to be a very useful and robust tool for the in silico determination of MLVA profiles of Brucella strains, allowing retrospective and prospective molecular epidemiological studies, which are important for maintaining an active epidemiological surveillance of brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Pelerito
- Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Nunes
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal.,CBIOS - Universidade Lusófona's Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Lisbon, Portugal.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Teresa Grilo
- Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Isidro
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina Silva
- Technology and Innovation Unit, Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal.,Centre for Toxicogenomics and Human Health (ToxOmics), Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal.,National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV, IP), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sylvia Valdezate
- ISCIII Reference and Research Laboratory for Taxonomy, National Centre of Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Sofia Núncio
- Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Enrico Georgi
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - João Paulo Gomes
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
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21
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Comparison of Whole Genome Sequencing and Repetitive Element PCR for Multidrug- Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain Typing. J Mol Diagn 2021; 24:158-166. [PMID: 34775029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hospital-acquired infections pose significant costly global challenges to patient care. Rapid and sensitive methods to identify potential outbreaks are integral to infection control measures. Whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based bacterial strain typing provides higher discriminatory power over standard nucleotide banding pattern-based methods like repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR). However, integration of WGS into clinical epidemiology is limited by the lack of consensus in methodology and data analysis/interpretation. In this study, WGS was performed on 22 multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) genomic DNA using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Resulting high quality reads were analyzed for phylogenetic relatedness using whole genome multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST)-based BIOMÉRIEUX EPISEQ CS (EpiSeq; Durham, NC) and Single Nucleotide Variant PHYLogenomics (SNVPhyl). WGS-based results were compared to conventional MLST and archived rep-PCR results. Rep-PCR identified three independent clonal clusters of MDR-PA. Only one clonal cluster identified by rep-PCR, an endemic strain within the pediatric cystic fibrosis population at Texas Children's Hospital, was concordantly identified using wgMLST (EpiSeq) and SNVPhyl. Results were highly consistent between the three sequence-based analyses (conventional MLST, wgMLST, and SNVPhyl), and these results remained consistent with the addition of 74 MDR-PA genomes. These WGS-based methods provided greater resolution for strain discrimination than rep-PCR or standard MLST classification, and the ease of use of EpiSeq renders it clinically viable for analysis, interpretation, and reporting of WGS-based strain typing.
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22
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Holzer K, El-Diasty M, Wareth G, Abdel-Hamid NH, Hamdy MER, Moustafa SA, Linde J, Bartusch F, Sayour AE, Elbauomy EM, Elhadidy M, Melzer F, Beyer W. Tracking the Distribution of Brucella abortus in Egypt Based on Core Genome SNP Analysis and In Silico MLVA-16. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091942. [PMID: 34576838 PMCID: PMC8469952 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis, caused by the bacteria of the genus Brucella, is one of the most neglected common zoonotic diseases globally with a public health significance and a high economic loss among the livestock industry worldwide. Since little is known about the distribution of B. abortus in Egypt, a total of 46 B. abortus isolates recovered between 2012–2020, plus one animal isolate from 2006, were analyzed by examining the whole core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) in comparison to the in silico multilocus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Both cgSNP analysis and MLVA revealed three clusters and one isolate only was distantly related to the others. One cluster identified a rather widely distributed outbreak strain which is repeatedly occurring for at least 16 years with marginal deviations in cgSNP analysis. The other cluster of isolates represents a rather newly introduced outbreak strain. A separate cluster comprised RB51 vaccine related strains, isolated from aborted material. The comparison with MLVA data sets from public databases reveals one near relative from Argentina to the oldest outbreak strain and a related strain from Spain to a newly introduced outbreak strain in Egypt. The distantly related isolate matches with a strain from Portugal in the MLVA profile. Based on cgSNP analysis the oldest outbreak strain clusters with strains from the UK. Compared to the in silico analysis of MLVA, cgSNP analysis using WGS data provides a much higher resolution of genotypes and, when correlated to the associated epidemiological metadata, cgSNP analysis allows the differentiation of outbreaks by defining different outbreak strains. In this respect, MLVA data are error-prone and can lead to incorrect interpretations of outbreak events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Holzer
- Department of Livestock Infectiology and Environmental Hygiene, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-711-4592-2428
| | - Mohamed El-Diasty
- Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (N.H.A.-H.); (M.E.R.H.); (A.E.S.); (E.M.E.)
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt; (G.W.); (S.A.M.)
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (J.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Nour H. Abdel-Hamid
- Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (N.H.A.-H.); (M.E.R.H.); (A.E.S.); (E.M.E.)
| | - Mahmoud E. R. Hamdy
- Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (N.H.A.-H.); (M.E.R.H.); (A.E.S.); (E.M.E.)
| | - Shawky A. Moustafa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt; (G.W.); (S.A.M.)
| | - Jörg Linde
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (J.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Felix Bartusch
- High-Performance and Cloud Computing Group, IT Center (ZDV), University of Tuebingen, Waechterstrasse 76, 72074 Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Ashraf E. Sayour
- Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (N.H.A.-H.); (M.E.R.H.); (A.E.S.); (E.M.E.)
| | - Essam M. Elbauomy
- Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (N.H.A.-H.); (M.E.R.H.); (A.E.S.); (E.M.E.)
| | - Mohamed Elhadidy
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza 12578, Egypt;
- Department of Bacteriology, Mycology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Falk Melzer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (J.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Wolfgang Beyer
- Department of Livestock Infectiology and Environmental Hygiene, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany;
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23
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Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Brucella melitensis Phylogeny and Virulence Factors. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres12030050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis has a wide range of clinical severity in humans that remains poorly understood. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis may be able to detect variation in virulence genes. We used Brucella melitensis sequences in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database to assemble 248 whole genomes, and additionally, assembled 27 B. melitensis genomes from samples of human patients in Southern Israel. We searched the 275 assembled genomes for the 43 B. melitensis virulence genes in the Virulence Factors of Pathogenic Bacteria Database (VFDB) and 10 other published putative virulence genes. We explored pan-genome variation across the genomes and in a pilot analysis, explored single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation among the ten putative virulence genes. More than 99% of the genomes had sequences for all Brucella melitensis virulence genes included in the VFDB. The 10 other virulence genes of interest were present across all the genomes, but three of these genes had SNP variation associated with particular Brucella melitensis genotypes. SNP variation was also seen within the Israeli genomes obtained from a small geographic region. While the Brucella genome is highly conserved, this novel and large whole genome study of Brucella demonstrates the ability of whole genome and pan-genome analysis to screen multiple genomes and identify SNP variation in both known and novel virulence genes that could be associated with differential disease virulence. Further development of whole genome techniques and linkage with clinical metadata on disease outcomes could shed light on whether such variation in the Brucella genome plays a role in pathogenesis.
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24
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Gomes CN, Barker DOR, Duque SDS, Che EV, Jayamanna V, Taboada EN, Falcão JP. Campylobacter coli isolated in Brazil typed by core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing shows high genomic diversity in a global context. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:105018. [PMID: 34332158 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Campylobacter has been one of the most common causative agent of bacterial food-borne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. However, in Brazil the campylobacteriosis has been a neglected disease and there is insufficient data to estimate the incidence of this pathogen in the country. AIMS The current study aimed to determine the phylogenetic relationships among Campylobacter coli strains isolated in Brazil and to compare them with international Campylobacter isolates available in some public databases. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 63C. coli strains isolated in Brazil were studied. The MLST analysis showed 18 different STs including three STs not yet described in the PubMLST database. The cgMLST allocated the Brazilian strains studied into five main clusters and each cluster comprised groups of strains with nearly identical cgMLST profiles and with significant genetic distance observed among the distinct clusters. The comparison of the Brazilian strains with 3401 isolates from different countries showed a wide distribution of these strains isolated in this country. CONCLUSIONS The results showed a high similarity among some strains studied and a wide distribution of the Brazilian strains when compared to isolates from different countries, which is an interesting data set since it showed a high genetic diversity of these strains from Brazil in a global context. This study contributed for a better genomic characterization of C. coli strains isolated in Brazil and provided important information about the diversity of this clinically-relevant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Nogueira Gomes
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto-Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Emily Victoria Che
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Vasena Jayamanna
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Juliana Pfrimer Falcão
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto-Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
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25
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Development and Validation of a Burkholderia pseudomallei Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme To Facilitate Molecular Surveillance. J Clin Microbiol 2021; 59:e0009321. [PMID: 33980649 PMCID: PMC8373231 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00093-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia pseudomallei causes the severe disease melioidosis. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based typing methods currently offer the highest resolution for molecular investigations of this genetically diverse pathogen. Still, its routine application in diagnostic laboratories is limited by the need for high computing power, bioinformatic skills, and variable bioinformatic approaches, with the latter affecting the results. We therefore aimed to establish and validate a WGS-based core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme, applicable in routine diagnostic settings. A soft defined core genome was obtained by challenging the B. pseudomallei reference genome K96243 with 469 environmental and clinical genomes, resulting in 4,221 core and 1,351 accessory targets. The scheme was validated with 320 WGS data sets. We compared our novel typing scheme with single nucleotide polymorphism-based approaches investigating closely and distantly related strains. Finally, we applied our scheme for tracking the environmental source of a recent infection. The validation of the scheme detected >95% good cgMLST target genes in 98.4% of the genomes. Comparison with existing typing methods revealed very good concordance. Our scheme proved to be applicable to investigating not only closely related strains but also the global B. pseudomallei population structure. We successfully utilized our scheme to identify a sugarcane field as the presumable source of a recent melioidosis case. In summary, we developed a robust cgMLST scheme that integrates high resolution, maximized standardization, and fast analysis for the nonbioinformatician. Our typing scheme has the potential to serve as a routinely applicable classification system in B. pseudomallei molecular epidemiology.
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26
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Liu S, Liu Y, Zhang R, Lu X, Hu H, Hu J, Zhang K, Sun Y. [Association of sepM gene mutation with mutacin Ⅳ production by Streptococcus mutans]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2021; 41:876-882. [PMID: 34238740 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2021.06.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the types of sepM gene mutations and their distribution in clinical isolates of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and explore the association of sepM gene mutation with the capacity of mutacin Ⅳ production by S. mutans. OBJECTIVE We assessed the capacity of mutacin Ⅳ production in 80 clinical isolates of S. mutans using an inhibition zone assay. The minimum spanning tree and phylogenetic tree of these isolates were constructed using core genome multilocus sequence typing and maximum likelihood method, respectively. GeneMarkS software was used to predict the coding genes of these isolates, and the predicted genes were blasted against the sepM gene sequence of the reference genome UA159 to determine sepM gene mutations and their distribution characteristics in the clinical isolates. The mutation types affecting mutacin Ⅳ production were identified by analyzing the differentially distributed mutations between mutacin Ⅳ-producing isolates and mutacin Ⅳ-free isolates and by comparing the inhibition zones between isolates with sepM gene mutations and those without mutations. OBJECTIVE Among the 80 clinical isolates of S. mutans, 25 isolates were capable of mutacin Ⅳ production and 55 did not produce mutacin Ⅳ. The minimum spanning tree showed that the allelic differences were less among the mutacin Ⅳproducing isolates than among the mutacin Ⅳ-free isolates, and the origins of the mutacin Ⅳ-producing isolates were similar. We identified a total of 34 single base mutations in the 80 clinical isolates, and among them, C31T (P=0.001), G533A (P < 0.001), C756T (P=0.025), and C1036T (P=0.003) showed significant differential distributions between the mutacin Ⅳ-producing and mutacin Ⅳ-free isolates. These differentially distributed mutations were positively correlated with the capacity of mutacin Ⅳ production of the bacteria. OBJECTIVE sepM gene mutations that affect the capacity of mutacin Ⅳ production are present in the clinical strains of S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Liu
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - Y Liu
- Department of histology and Embryology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
| | - R Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - X Lu
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - H Hu
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - J Hu
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - K Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - Y Sun
- Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233030, China
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A Whole-Genome-Based Gene-by-Gene Typing System for Standardized High-Resolution Strain Typing of Bacillus anthracis. J Clin Microbiol 2021; 59:e0288920. [PMID: 33827898 PMCID: PMC8218748 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02889-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been established for bacterial subtyping and is regularly used to study pathogen transmission, to investigate outbreaks, and to perform routine surveillance. Core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) is a bacterial subtyping method that uses WGS data to provide a high-resolution strain characterization. This study aimed at developing a novel cgMLST scheme for Bacillus anthracis, a notorious pathogen that causes anthrax in livestock and humans worldwide. The scheme comprises 3,803 genes that were conserved in 57 B. anthracis genomes spanning the whole phylogeny. The scheme has been evaluated and applied to 584 genomes from 50 countries. On average, 99.5% of the cgMLST targets were detected. The cgMLST results confirmed the classical canonical single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) grouping of B. anthracis into major clades and subclades. Genetic distances calculated based on cgMLST were comparable to distances from whole-genome-based SNP analysis with similar phylogenetic topology and comparable discriminatory power. Additionally, the application of the cgMLST scheme to anthrax outbreaks from Germany and Italy led to a definition of a cutoff threshold of five allele differences to trace epidemiologically linked strains for cluster typing and transmission analysis. Finally, the association of two clusters of B. anthracis with human cases of injectional anthrax in four European countries was confirmed using cgMLST. In summary, this study presents a novel cgMLST scheme that provides high-resolution strain genotyping for B. anthracis. This scheme can be used in parallel with SNP typing methods to facilitate rapid and harmonized interlaboratory comparisons, essential for global surveillance and outbreak analysis. The scheme is publicly available for application by users, including those with little bioinformatics knowledge.
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Whole-Genome Sequencing for Tracing the Genetic Diversity of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Isolated from Livestock in Egypt. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10060759. [PMID: 34208761 PMCID: PMC8235727 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis that occurs worldwide. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has become a widely accepted molecular typing method for outbreak tracing and genomic epidemiology of brucellosis. Twenty-nine Brucella spp. (eight B. abortus biovar 1 and 21 B. melitensis biovar 3) were isolated from lymph nodes, milk, and fetal abomasal contents of infected cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats originating from nine districts in Egypt. The isolates were identified by microbiological methods and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Differentiation and genotyping were confirmed using multiplex PCR. Illumina MiSeq® was used to sequence the 29 Brucella isolates. Using MLST typing, ST11 and ST1 were identified among B. melitensis and B. abortus, respectively. Brucella abortus and B. melitensis isolates were divided into two main clusters (clusters 1 and 2) containing two and nine distinct genotypes by core-genome SNP analysis, respectively. The genotypes were irregularly distributed over time and space in the study area. Both Egyptian B. abortus and B. melitensis isolates proved to be genomically unique upon comparison with publicly available sequencing from strains of neighboring Mediterranean, African, and Asian countries. The antimicrobial resistance mechanism caused by mutations in rpoB, gyrA, and gyrB genes associated with rifampicin and ciprofloxacin resistance were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the epidemiology of Brucella isolates from livestock belonging to different localities in Egypt based on whole genome analysis.
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Grützke J, Gwida M, Deneke C, Brendebach H, Projahn M, Schattschneider A, Hofreuter D, El-Ashker M, Malorny B, Al Dahouk S. Direct identification and molecular characterization of zoonotic hazards in raw milk by metagenomics using Brucella as a model pathogen. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 33945456 PMCID: PMC8209726 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics is a valuable diagnostic tool for enhancing microbial food safety because (i) it enables the untargeted detection of pathogens, (ii) it is fast since primary isolation of micro-organisms is not required, and (iii) it has high discriminatory power allowing for a detailed molecular characterization of pathogens. For shotgun metagenomics, total nucleic acids (NAs) are isolated from complex samples such as foodstuff. Along with microbial NAs, high amounts of matrix NAs are extracted that might outcompete microbial NAs during next-generation sequencing and compromise sensitivity for the detection of low abundance micro-organisms. Sensitive laboratory methods are indispensable for detecting highly pathogenic foodborne bacteria like Brucella spp., because a low infectious dose is sufficient to cause human disease through the consumption of contaminated dairy or meat products. In our study, we applied shotgun metagenomic sequencing for the identification and characterization of Brucella spp. in artificially and naturally contaminated raw milk from various ruminant species. With the depletion of eukaryotic cells prior to DNA extraction, Brucella was detectable at 10 bacterial cells ml−1, while at the same time microbiological culture and isolation of the fastidious bacteria commonly failed. Moreover, we were able to retrieve the genotype of a Brucella isolate from a metagenomic dataset, indicating the potential of metagenomics for outbreak investigations using SNPs and core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). To improve diagnostic applications, we developed a new bioinformatics approach for strain prediction based on SNPs to identify the correct species and define a certain strain with only low numbers of genus-specific reads per sample. This pipeline turned out to be more sensitive and specific than Mash Screen. In raw milk samples, we simultaneously detected numerous other zoonotic pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors. Our study showed that metagenomics is a highly sensitive tool for biological risk assessment of foodstuffs, particularly when pathogen isolation is hazardous or challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Grützke
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mayada Gwida
- Department of Hygiene and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Carlus Deneke
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Holger Brendebach
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michaela Projahn
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Hofreuter
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maged El-Ashker
- Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Burkhard Malorny
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sascha Al Dahouk
- Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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30
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Whatmore AM, Foster JT. Emerging diversity and ongoing expansion of the genus Brucella. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 92:104865. [PMID: 33872784 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Remarkable genetic diversity and breadth of host species has been uncovered in the Brucella genus over the past decade, fundamentally changing our concept of what it means to be a Brucella. From ocean fishes and marine mammals, to pond dwelling amphibians, forest foxes, desert rodents, and cave-dwelling bats, Brucella have revealed a variety of previously unknown niches. Classical microbiological techniques have been able to help us classify many of these new strains but at times have limited our ability to see the true relationships among or within species. The closest relatives of Brucella are soil bacteria and the adaptations of Brucella spp. to live intracellularly suggest that the genus has evolved to live in vertebrate hosts. Several recently discovered species appear to have phenotypes that are intermediate between soil bacteria and core Brucella, suggesting that they may represent ancestral traits that were subsequently lost in the traditional species. Remarkably, the broad relationships among Brucella species using a variety of sequence and fragment-based approaches have been upheld when using comparative genomics with whole genomes. Nonetheless, genomes are required for fine-scale resolution of many of the relationships and for understanding the evolutionary history of the genus. We expect that the coming decades will reveal many more hosts and previously unknown diversity in a wide range of environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian M Whatmore
- OIE and FAO Brucellosis Reference Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom.
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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31
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Zhao ZJ, Li JQ, Ma L, Xue HM, Yang XX, Zhao YB, Qin YM, Yang XW, Piao DR, Zhao HY, Tian GZ, Li Q, Wang JL, Tian G, Jiang H, Xu LQ. Molecular characteristics of Brucella melitensis isolates from humans in Qinghai Province, China. Infect Dis Poverty 2021; 10:42. [PMID: 33771234 PMCID: PMC8004457 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-021-00829-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of human brucellosis in Qinghai Province of China has been increasing rapidly, with confirmed cases distributed across 31 counties. However, the epidemiology of brucellosis transmission has not been fully elucidated. To characterize the infecting strains isolated from humans, multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeats analysis (MLVA) and whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based approaches were employed. METHODS Strains were isolated from two males blood cultures that were confirmed Brucella melitensis positive following biotyping and MLVA. Genomic DNA was extracted from these two strains, and whole-genome sequencing was performed. Next, SNP-based phylogenetic analysis was performed to compare the two strains to 94 B. melitensis strains (complete genome and draft genome) retrieved from online databases. RESULTS The two Brucella isolates were identified as B. melitensis biovar 3 (QH2019001 and QH2019005) following conventional biotyping and were found to have differences in their variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) using MLVA-16. Phylogenetic examination assigned the 96 strains to five genotype groups, with QH2019001 and QH2019005 assigned to the same group, but different subgroups. Moreover, the QH2019005 strain was assigned to a new subgenotype, IIj, within genotype II. These findings were then combined to determine the geographic origin of the two Brucella strains. CONCLUSIONS Utilizing a whole-genome SNP-based approach enabled differences between the two B. melitensis strains to be more clearly resolved, and facilitated the elucidation of their different evolutionary histories. This approach also revealed that QH2019005 is a member of a new subgenotype (IIj) with an ancient origin in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Jun Zhao
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Ji-Quan Li
- Key Laboratory of Plague Prevention and Research, Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, National Health Commission (2019PT310004) and Key Laboratory for Plague Prevention and Control of Qinghai Province, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Li Ma
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Hong-Mei Xue
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Xu-Xin Yang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Yuan-Bo Zhao
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Yu-Min Qin
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Ri Piao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Yan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Zhong Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Jian-Ling Wang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Guang Tian
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China
| | - Hai Jiang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China. .,State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Li-Qing Xu
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, The department of brucellosis prevention and control, Xining, 810021, Qinghai, China.
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32
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Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Brucella abortus Isolates from Various Regions of South Africa. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9030570. [PMID: 33799545 PMCID: PMC7998772 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of whole genome sequences in public databases permits genome-wide comparative studies of various bacterial species. Whole genome sequence-single nucleotide polymorphisms (WGS-SNP) analysis has been used in recent studies and allows the discrimination of various Brucella species and strains. In the present study, 13 Brucella spp. strains from cattle of various locations in provinces of South Africa were typed and discriminated. WGS-SNP analysis indicated a maximum pairwise distance ranging from 4 to 77 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the South African Brucella abortus virulent field strains. Moreover, it was shown that the South African B. abortus strains grouped closely to B. abortus strains from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as well as other Eurasian countries, such as Portugal and India. WGS-SNP analysis of South African B. abortus strains demonstrated that the same genotype circulated in one farm (Farm 1), whereas another farm (Farm 2) in the same province had two different genotypes. This indicated that brucellosis in South Africa spreads within the herd on some farms, whereas the introduction of infected animals is the mode of transmission on other farms. Three B. abortus vaccine S19 strains isolated from tissue and aborted material were identical, even though they originated from different herds and regions of South Africa. This might be due to the incorrect vaccination of animals older than the recommended age of 4-8 months or might be a problem associated with vaccine production.
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33
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Schaeffer J, Revilla-Fernández S, Hofer E, Posch R, Stoeger A, Leth C, Schmoll F, Djordjevic V, Lakicevic B, Matovic K, Hufnagl P, Indra A, Allerberger F, Ruppitsch W. Tracking the Origin of Austrian Human Brucellosis Cases Using Whole Genome Sequencing. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:635547. [PMID: 33718408 PMCID: PMC7943447 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.635547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp. and a major concern for livestock. Most human cases are caused by B. melitensis and clinical presentation is usually a mild febrile illness. However, treatment failure is frequent and more severe complications can occur. In Austria, every human brucellosis is investigated to determine whether it was imported from endemic areas or is the sign of an undetected autochthonous transmission. For this study, 21 B. melitensis strains isolated in Austria between 2005 and 2019 were collected, 17 strains from 15 different patients and four strains from cattle. Whole genome sequencing combined with core-genome MLST analysis was used to characterize these strains. A cluster of seven isolates from 2018 (three human and four cattle isolates) was identified, with fewer than two allelic differences. They corresponded to the only Austrian B. melitensis outbreak that happened over the past 15 years. The other 12 Austrian brucellosis cases were single cases, and geographical origins were available for 8/12. Genomic data was used to locate probable geographical origins and compared with the results of the epidemiological investigations. Austrian strains were compared with 67 published B. melitensis sequences available on NCBI. The result of genomic analysis matched for 7/8 cases with documented conclusion of the epidemiological investigation. Genome analysis also pointed to the geographical origin for three of the four cases with missing epidemiological data. Strains from six cases were grouped together (<40 allelic differences) with 4/6 cases imported from the Balkans. Additional B. melitensis isolates from Serbian animals were analyzed and grouped with this branch, suggesting frequent importation from Balkan countries to Austria. Overall, this study highlights the specificities of human brucellosis in Austria. It also underlines the value of whole genome sequencing as a tool to investigate brucellosis cases, allowing to identify and investigate outbreaks but also to support epidemiological investigation of imported cases. However, the reliability of such methods depends on the number of strains for comparison, which can be challenging in low incidence countries. Increasing the availability of published sequences with documented geographical origins would help establishing genomic-based methods for investigating brucellosis cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Schaeffer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria.,EUPHEM Fellowship, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sandra Revilla-Fernández
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Mödling, Austria
| | - Erwin Hofer
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Mödling, Austria
| | - Romana Posch
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Mödling, Austria
| | - Anna Stoeger
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Leth
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Mödling, Austria
| | - Friedrich Schmoll
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Mödling, Austria
| | - Vesna Djordjevic
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Brankica Lakicevic
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Kazimir Matovic
- Department for Laboratory Diagnostic, Veterinary Specialized Institute, Kraljevo, Serbia
| | - Peter Hufnagl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Indra
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz Allerberger
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Werner Ruppitsch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
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Liang KYH, Orata FD, Islam MT, Nasreen T, Alam M, Tarr CL, Boucher YF. A Vibrio cholerae Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme To Facilitate the Epidemiological Study of Cholera. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:e00086-20. [PMID: 32540931 PMCID: PMC7685551 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00086-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) has gained popularity in recent years in epidemiological research and subspecies-level classification. cgMLST retains the intuitive nature of traditional MLST but offers much greater resolution by utilizing significantly larger portions of the genome. Here, we introduce a cgMLST scheme for Vibrio cholerae, a bacterium abundant in marine and freshwater environments and the etiologic agent of cholera. A set of 2,443 core genes ubiquitous in V. cholerae were used to analyze a comprehensive data set of 1,262 clinical and environmental strains collected from 52 countries, including 65 newly sequenced genomes in this study. We established a sublineage threshold based on 133 allelic differences that creates clusters nearly identical to traditional MLST types, providing backwards compatibility to new cgMLST classifications. We also defined an outbreak threshold based on seven allelic differences that is capable of identifying strains from the same outbreak and closely related isolates that could give clues on outbreak origin. Using cgMLST, we confirmed the South Asian origin of modern epidemics and identified clustering affinity among sublineages of environmental isolates from the same geographic origin. Advantages of this method are highlighted by direct comparison with existing classification methods, such as MLST and single-nucleotide polymorphism-based methods. cgMLST outperforms all existing methods in terms of resolution, standardization, and ease of use. We anticipate this scheme will serve as a basis for a universally applicable and standardized classification system for V. cholerae research and epidemiological surveillance in the future. This cgMLST scheme is publicly available on PubMLST (https://pubmlst.org/vcholerae/).IMPORTANCE Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae isolates of the O1 and O139 serogroups are the causative agents of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease that plagued the world for centuries, if not millennia. Here, we introduce a core genome multilocus sequence typing scheme for V. cholerae Using this scheme, we have standardized the definition for subspecies-level classification, facilitating global collaboration in the surveillance of V. cholerae In addition, this typing scheme allows for quick identification of outbreak-related isolates that can guide subsequent analyses, serving as an important first step in epidemiological research. This scheme is also easily scalable to analyze thousands of isolates at various levels of resolution, making it an invaluable tool for large-scale ecological and evolutionary analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y H Liang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Fabini D Orata
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Tania Nasreen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Munirul Alam
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Cheryl L Tarr
- Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yann F Boucher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Suárez-Esquivel M, Chaves-Olarte E, Moreno E, Guzmán-Verri C. Brucella Genomics: Macro and Micro Evolution. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7749. [PMID: 33092044 PMCID: PMC7589603 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella organisms are responsible for one of the most widespread bacterial zoonoses, named brucellosis. The disease affects several species of animals, including humans. One of the most intriguing aspects of the brucellae is that the various species show a ~97% similarity at the genome level. Still, the distinct Brucella species display different host preferences, zoonotic risk, and virulence. After 133 years of research, there are many aspects of the Brucella biology that remain poorly understood, such as host adaptation and virulence mechanisms. A strategy to understand these characteristics focuses on the relationship between the genomic diversity and host preference of the various Brucella species. Pseudogenization, genome reduction, single nucleotide polymorphism variation, number of tandem repeats, and mobile genetic elements are unveiled markers for host adaptation and virulence. Understanding the mechanisms of genome variability in the Brucella genus is relevant to comprehend the emergence of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Suárez-Esquivel
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
| | - Esteban Chaves-Olarte
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 1180, Costa Rica;
| | - Edgardo Moreno
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
| | - Caterina Guzmán-Verri
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 1180, Costa Rica;
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Janowicz A, De Massis F, Zilli K, Ancora M, Tittarelli M, Sacchini F, Di Giannatale E, Sahl JW, Foster JT, Garofolo G. Evolutionary history and current distribution of the West Mediterranean lineage of Brucella melitensis in Italy. Microb Genom 2020; 6. [PMID: 33030422 PMCID: PMC7725330 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovine and caprine brucellosis, caused by Brucella melitensis, is one of the world’s most widespread zoonoses and is a major cause of economic losses in domestic ruminant production. In Italy, the disease remains endemic in several southern provinces, despite an ongoing brucellosis eradication programme. In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing to detail the genetic diversity of circulating strains, and to examine the origins of the predominant sub-lineages of B. melitensis in Italy. We reconstructed a global phylogeny of B. melitensis, strengthened by 339 new whole-genome sequences, from Italian isolates collected from 2011 to 2018 as part of a national livestock surveillance programme. All Italian strains belonged to the West Mediterranean lineage, which further divided into two major clades that diverged roughly between the 5th and 7th centuries. We observed that Sicily serves as a brucellosis burden hotspot, giving rise to several distinct sub-lineages. More than 20 putative outbreak clusters of ovine and caprine brucellosis were identified, several of which persisted over the 8 year survey period despite an aggressive brucellosis eradication campaign. While the outbreaks in Central and Northern Italy were generally associated with introductions of single clones of B. melitensis and their subsequent dissemination within neighbouring territories, we observed weak geographical segregation of genotypes in the southern regions. Biovar determination, recommended in routine analysis of all Brucella strains by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), could not discriminate among the four main global clades. This demonstrates a need for updating the guidelines used for monitoring B. melitensis transmission and spread, both at the national and international level, and to include whole-genome-based typing as the principal method for identification and tracing of brucellosis outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Janowicz
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Fabrizio De Massis
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Katiuscia Zilli
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Massimo Ancora
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Manuela Tittarelli
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Flavio Sacchini
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Di Giannatale
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Jason W Sahl
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Giuliano Garofolo
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
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Abstract
Streptococcus mutans is one of the primary pathogens responsible for the development of dental caries. Recent whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) approaches have been employed in epidemiological studies of specific human pathogens. However, this approach has not been reported in studies of S. mutans Here, we therefore developed a cgMLST scheme for S. mutans We surveyed 199 available S. mutans genomes as a means of identifying cgMLST targets, developing a scheme that incorporated 594 targets from the S. mutans UA159 reference genome. Sixty-eight sequence types (STs) were identified in this cgMLST scheme (cgSTs) in 80 S. mutans isolates from 40 children that were sequenced in this study, compared to 35 STs identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Fifty-six cgSTs (82.35%) were associated with a single isolate based on our cgMLST scheme, which is significantly higher than in the MLST scheme (11.43%). In addition, 58.06% of all MLST profiles with ≥2 isolates were further differentiated by our cgMLST scheme. Topological analyses of the maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees revealed that our cgMLST scheme was more reliable than the MLST scheme. A minimum spanning tree of 145 S. mutans isolates from 10 countries developed based upon the cgMLST scheme highlighted the diverse population structure of S. mutans This cgMLST scheme thus offers a new molecular typing method suitable for evaluating the epidemiological distribution of this pathogen and has the potential to serve as a benchmark for future global studies of the epidemiological nature of dental caries.IMPORTANCE Streptococcus mutans is regarded as a major pathogen responsible for the onset of dental caries. S. mutans can transmit among people, especially within families. In this study, we established a new epidemiological approach to S. mutans classification. This approach can effectively differentiate among closely related isolates and offers superior reliability relative to that of the traditional MLST molecular typing method. As such, it has the potential to better support effective public health strategies centered around this bacterium that are aimed at preventing and treating dental caries.
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Wareth G, El-Diasty M, Melzer F, Schmoock G, Moustafa SA, El-Beskawy M, Khater DF, Hamdy ME, Zaki HM, Ferreira AC, Ekateriniadou LV, Boukouvala E, Abdel-Glil MY, Menshawy AM, Sancho MP, Sakhria S, Pletz MW, Neubauer H. MLVA-16 Genotyping of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Isolates from Different Animal Species in Egypt: Geographical Relatedness and the Mediterranean Lineage. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060498. [PMID: 32580472 PMCID: PMC7350383 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease in Egypt. However, there are limited data available on the genetic diversity of brucellae circulating in Egypt and other Mediterranean areas. One hundred and nine Brucella (B.) strains were isolated from different animal species in thirteen Egyptian governorates. Multi-locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) analysis (MLVA-16) was employed to determine the geographical relatedness and the genetic diversity of a panel of selected Egyptian strains (n = 69), with strains originating from Italy (n = 49), Portugal (n = 52), Greece (n = 63), and Tunisia (n = 4). Egyptian B. melitensis strains clustered into two main clusters containing 21 genotypes. Egyptian B. abortus strains clustered into three main clusters containing nine genotypes. The genotypes were irregularly distributed over time and space in the study area. Egyptian strains of B. melitensis showed MLVA-16 patterns closer to that of Italian strains. Egyptian B. abortus strains isolated from cattle share the same genotype with strains from Portugal and similar to strains from Italy with low genetic diversity. Strains with similar MLVA patterns isolated from different governorates highlight the movement of the pathogen among governorates. Hence, it may also reflect the long endemicity of brucellosis in Egypt with earlier dispersal of types and great local genetic diversity. Open markets may contribute to cross-species transmission and dissemination of the new types nationwide. The presence of West Mediterranean lineages of B. melitensis and relatedness of B. abortus strains from the studied countries is a result of the socio-historical connections among the Mediterranean countries. Transnational eradication of brucellosis in the Mediterranean basin is highly demanded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamal Wareth
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (F.M.); (G.S.); (M.Y.A.-G.); (H.N.)
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany;
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +4936418042296
| | - Mohamed El-Diasty
- Department of Brucellosis, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (D.F.K.); (H.M.Z.)
| | - Falk Melzer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (F.M.); (G.S.); (M.Y.A.-G.); (H.N.)
| | - Gernot Schmoock
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (F.M.); (G.S.); (M.Y.A.-G.); (H.N.)
| | - Shawky A. Moustafa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh 13736, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed El-Beskawy
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Matrouh University, Matrouh 51744, Egypt;
| | - Dali F. Khater
- Department of Brucellosis, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (D.F.K.); (H.M.Z.)
| | - Mahmoud E.R. Hamdy
- Department of Brucellosis, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (D.F.K.); (H.M.Z.)
| | - Hoda M. Zaki
- Department of Brucellosis, Animal Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 264-Giza, Cairo 12618, Egypt; (M.E.-D.); (D.F.K.); (H.M.Z.)
| | - Ana Cristina Ferreira
- National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, National Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV, IP), 157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Edificio TecLabs, Campus da FCUL, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Loukia V. Ekateriniadou
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization- DEMETER, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.E.); (E.B.)
| | - Evridiki Boukouvala
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization- DEMETER, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (L.V.E.); (E.B.)
| | - Mostafa Y. Abdel-Glil
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (F.M.); (G.S.); (M.Y.A.-G.); (H.N.)
| | - Ahmed M.S. Menshawy
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Shamlaa Street, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt;
| | - Marta Pérez Sancho
- Centro VISAVET, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, s/n, PC 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Sakhria
- Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia;
| | - Mathias W. Pletz
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany; (F.M.); (G.S.); (M.Y.A.-G.); (H.N.)
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de Sales RO, Migliorini LB, Puga R, Kocsis B, Severino P. A Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1049. [PMID: 32528447 PMCID: PMC7264379 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous microorganism and an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for a broad spectrum of infections mainly in immunosuppressed and critically ill patients. Molecular investigations traditionally rely on pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). In this work we propose a core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme for P. aeruginosa, a methodology that combines traditional MLST principles with whole genome sequencing data. All publicly available complete P. aeruginosa genomes, representing the diversity of this species, were used to establish a cgMLST scheme targeting 2,653 genes. The scheme was then tested using genomes available at contig, chromosome and scaffold levels. The proposed cgMLST scheme for P. aeruginosa typed over 99% (2,314/2,325) of the genomes available for this study considering at least 95% of the cgMLST target genes present. The absence of a certain number gene targets at the threshold considered for both the creation and validation steps due to low genome sequence quality is possibly the main reason for this result. The cgMLST scheme was compared with previously published whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis for the characterization of the population structure of the epidemic clone ST235 and results were highly similar. In order to evaluate the typing resolution of the proposed scheme, collections of isolates belonging to two important STs associated with cystic fibrosis, ST146 and ST274, were typed using this scheme, and ST235 isolates associated with an outbreak were evaluated. Besides confirming the relatedness of all the isolates, earlier determined by MLST, the higher resolution of cgMLST denotes that it may be suitable for surveillance programs, overcoming possible shortcomings of classical MLST. The proposed scheme is publicly available at: https://github.com/BioinformaticsHIAEMolecularMicrobiology/cgMLST-Pseudomonas-aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romário Oliveira de Sales
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Research and Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Letícia Busato Migliorini
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Research and Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Puga
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Research and Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bela Kocsis
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Patricia Severino
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Research and Education Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
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Alba P, Leekitcharoenphon P, Carfora V, Amoruso R, Cordaro G, Di Matteo P, Ianzano A, Iurescia M, Diaconu EL, Study Group EEAN, Pedersen SK, Guerra B, Hendriksen RS, Franco A, Battisti A. Molecular epidemiology of Salmonella Infantis in Europe: insights into the success of the bacterial host and its parasitic pESI-like megaplasmid. Microb Genom 2020; 6. [PMID: 32271142 PMCID: PMC7371121 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonella Infantis is one of the five serovars most frequently causing human salmonellosis in Europe, mainly associated with poultry. A clone harbouring a conjugative plasmid of emerging S. Infantis (pESI)-like megaplasmid, carrying multidrug resistant (MDR) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) genes, has spread in the Italian broiler chicken industry also causing human illness. This work is aimed at elucidating the molecular epidemiology of S. Infantis and pESI-like in Europe using whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, and to investigate the genetic relatedness of S. Infantis clones and pESI-like from animals, meat, feed and humans provided by institutions of nine European countries. Two genotyping approaches were used: chromosome or plasmid SNP-based analysis and the minimum spanning tree (MST) algorithm based on core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). The European S. Infantis population appeared heterogeneous, with different genetic clusters defined at core-genome level. However, pESI-like variants present in 64.1 % of the isolates were more genetically homogeneous and capable of infecting different clonal lineages in most of the countries. Two different pESI-like with ESBL genes (n=82) were observed: blaCTX-M-1-positive in European isolates and blaCTX-M-65-positive in American isolates (study outgroup). Both variants had toxin-antitoxin systems, resistance genes towards tetracyclines, trimethoprim, sulphonamides and aminoglycosides, heavy metals (merA) and disinfectants (qacEΔ). Worryingly, 66 % of the total isolates studied presented different gyrA chromosomal point mutations associated with (fluoro)quinolone resistance (MIC range 0.125–0.5 mg/L), while 18 % displayed transferable macrolide resistance mediated by mph, mef and erm(B) genes. Proper intervention strategies are needed to prevent further dissemination/transmission of MDR S. Infantis and pESI-like along the food chain in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Alba
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Pimlapas Leekitcharoenphon
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial-Resistance, WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens and Genomics, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Virginia Carfora
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Amoruso
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Gessica Cordaro
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Di Matteo
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Ianzano
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Iurescia
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Elena L Diaconu
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | | | - Susanne K Pedersen
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial-Resistance, WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens and Genomics, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Rene S Hendriksen
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial-Resistance, WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens and Genomics, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Alessia Franco
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Battisti
- Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy
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Pelerito A, Nunes A, Núncio MS, Gomes JP. Genome-scale approach to study the genetic relatedness among Brucella melitensis strains. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229863. [PMID: 32150564 PMCID: PMC7062273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease that affects both humans and animals. To date, laboratory surveillance is still essentially based on the traditional MLVA-16 methodology and the associated epidemiological information is frequently scarce. Our goal was to contribute to the improvement of Brucella spp. surveillance through the implementation of a whole genome sequencing (WGS) approach. We created a curated ready-to-use species-specific wgMLST scheme enrolling a panel of 2656 targets (http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3575026) and used this schema to perform a retrospective analysis of the genetic relatedness among B. melitensis strains causing human infection in Portugal (a country where brucellosis is an endemic disease) from 2010 to 2018. The strains showed a phylogenetic clustering within genotype II (25 out of 36) and IV (4 out of 36), and shared clades with strains isolated from countries with which Portugal has intense food trading, tourism and similar eating habits, such as Spain, Italy and Greece. In addition, our results point to the identification of strong associations between B. melitensis strains, likely underlying missed "outbreaks" as 22 out of the 36 strains showed genetic linkage with others. In fact, the applied gene-by-gene approach grouped these strains into six genetic clusters each one containing putative epidemiological links. Nevertheless, more studies will be needed in order to define the appropriate range of cut-offs (probable non-static cut-offs) that best illustrate the association between genetic linkage and epidemiological information and may serve as alerts for the health authorities. The release of this freely available and scalable schema contributes to the required technological transition for laboratorial surveillance of brucellosis and will facilitate the assessment of ongoing and future outbreaks in order to prevent the transmission spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Pelerito
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Nunes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Bioinformatics Unit, National Institute of Health (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Sofia Núncio
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit, National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Paulo Gomes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Bioinformatics Unit, National Institute of Health (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal
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Yang X, Piao D, Mao L, Pang B, Zhao H, Tian G, Jiang H, Kan B. Whole-genome sequencing of rough Brucella melitensis in China provides insights into its genetic features. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 9:2147-2156. [PMID: 32936049 PMCID: PMC7580580 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1824549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Brucella spp. can cause the zoonosis brucellosis, which affects public health and safety and even economic development. B. melitensis has a smooth phenotype, while 28 B. melitensis isolates had a rough phenotype in 2018. In this study, rough phenotype detection and whole genome sequencing methods were used to analyze the genetic features of rough B. melitensis. A drug susceptibility test was also performed. The results showed that the rough B. melitensis strains originated from strains isolated in China rather than from foreign strains. Furthermore, an MS tree showed that 9 complexes to be epidemic in China. For the rough B. melitensis strains, expression of the metabolic function genes varied in the earlier stages of evolution compared to the cellular process and signalling function genes. Expression of some transcriptional regulatory factors also varied in the later stages of evolution, and compared to MFS transporter genes, ABC transporter genes varied in the earlier stages. Moreover, as there was no significant difference in rifampicin, doxycycline and streptomycin susceptibility between the smooth and rough B. melitensis strains, treatment of brucellosis was not affected by strain type. This study provided important information for understanding the genetics and evolution of rough B. melitensis in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongri Piao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingling Mao
- Liaoning Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Pang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guozhong Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hai Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Biao Kan
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Saltykova A, Mattheus W, Bertrand S, Roosens NHC, Marchal K, De Keersmaecker SCJ. Detailed Evaluation of Data Analysis Tools for Subtyping of Bacterial Isolates Based on Whole Genome Sequencing: Neisseria meningitidis as a Proof of Concept. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2897. [PMID: 31921072 PMCID: PMC6930190 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole genome sequencing is increasingly recognized as the most informative approach for characterization of bacterial isolates. Success of the routine use of this technology in public health laboratories depends on the availability of well-characterized and verified data analysis methods. However, multiple subtyping workflows are now often being used for a single organism, and differences between them are not always well described. Moreover, methodologies for comparison of subtyping workflows, and assessment of their performance are only beginning to emerge. Current work focuses on the detailed comparison of WGS-based subtyping workflows and evaluation of their suitability for the organism and the research context in question. We evaluated the performance of pipelines used for subtyping of Neisseria meningitidis, including the currently widely applied cgMLST approach and different SNP-based methods. In addition, the impact of the use of different tools for detection and filtering of recombinant regions and of different reference genomes were tested. Our benchmarking analysis included both assessment of technical performance of the pipelines and functional comparison of the generated genetic distance matrices and phylogenetic trees. It was carried out using replicate sequencing datasets of high- and low-coverage, consisting mainly of isolates belonging to the clonal complex 269. We demonstrated that cgMLST and some of the SNP-based subtyping workflows showed very good performance characteristics and highly similar genetic distance matrices and phylogenetic trees with isolates belonging to the same clonal complex. However, only two of the tested workflows demonstrated reproducible results for a group of more closely related isolates. Additionally, results of the SNP-based subtyping workflows were to some level dependent on the reference genome used. Interestingly, the use of recombination-filtering software generally reduced the similarity between the gene-by-gene and SNP-based methodologies for subtyping of N. meningitidis. Our study, where N. meningitidis was taken as an example, clearly highlights the need for more benchmarking comparative studies to eventually contribute to a justified use of a specific WGS data analysis workflow within an international public health laboratory context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assia Saltykova
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
- IDLab, IMEC, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wesley Mattheus
- Belgian National Reference Centre for Neisseria, Human Bacterial Diseases, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bertrand
- Belgian National Reference Centre for Neisseria, Human Bacterial Diseases, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Kathleen Marchal
- IDLab, IMEC, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, VIB, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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44
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Sacchini L, Wahab T, Di Giannatale E, Zilli K, Abass A, Garofolo G, Janowicz A. Whole Genome Sequencing for Tracing Geographical Origin of Imported Cases of Human Brucellosis in Sweden. Microorganisms 2019; 7:E398. [PMID: 31561594 PMCID: PMC6843523 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7100398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human infections with Brucella melitensis are occasionally reported in Sweden, despite the fact that the national flocks of sheep and goats are officially free from brucellosis. The aim of our study was to analyze 103 isolates of B. melitensis collected from patients in Sweden between 1994 and 2016 and determine their putative geographic origin using whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based tools. The majority of the strains were assigned to East Mediterranean and African lineages. Both in silico Multiple Loci VNTR (Variable Number of Tandem Repeats) Analysis (MLVA) and core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing (cgMLST) analyses identified countries of the Middle East as the most probable source of origin of the majority of the strains. Isolates collected from patients with travel history to Iraq or Syria were often associated with genotypes from Turkey, as the cgMLST profiles from these countries clustered together. Sixty strains were located within a distance of 20 core genes to related genotypes from the publicly available database, and for eighteen isolates, the closest genotype was different by more than 50 loci. Our study showed that WGS based tools are effective in tracing back the geographic origin of infection of patients with unknown travel status, provided that public sequences from the location of the source are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Sacchini
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Tara Wahab
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, 171 82 Solna, Sweden.
| | - Elisabetta Di Giannatale
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Katiuscia Zilli
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Anna Abass
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Giuliano Garofolo
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - Anna Janowicz
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", 64100 Teramo, Italy.
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45
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Zange S, Schneider K, Georgi E, Scholz HC, Antwerpen MH, Walter MC, Zoeller L, von Buttlar H, Borde JP. A headache with surprising outcome: first case of brucellosis caused by Brucella suis biovar 1 in Germany. Infection 2019; 47:863-868. [PMID: 31073709 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-019-01312-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In July 2018, brucellosis was diagnosed in a German patient without a travel history to regions endemic for Brucella. Microbiological analysis, including whole-genome sequencing, revealed Brucella suis biovar 1 as the etiologic agent. Core-genome-based multilocus sequence-typing analysis placed the isolate in close proximity to strains originating from Argentina. Notably, despite a strong IgM response, the patient did not develop Brucella-specific IgG antibodies during infection. Here, we describe the clinical course of infection, the extensive epidemiological investigations, and discuss possible routes of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Zange
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937, Munich, Germany. .,National Consultant Laboratory for Brucellosis, 80937, Munich, Germany.
| | - Kim Schneider
- Ortenauklinikum Offenburg-Gengenbach, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 77654, Offenburg, Germany
| | - Enrico Georgi
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937, Munich, Germany
| | - Holger C Scholz
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937, Munich, Germany.,National Consultant Laboratory for Brucellosis, 80937, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Lothar Zoeller
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937, Munich, Germany.,National Consultant Laboratory for Brucellosis, 80937, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Johannes P Borde
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine II, University of Freiburg, Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Praxis Dr. J. Borde/Gesundheitszentrum Oberkirch, 77704, Oberkirch, Germany
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46
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Phylogeography and epidemiology of Brucella suis biovar 2 in wildlife and domestic swine. Vet Microbiol 2019; 233:68-77. [PMID: 31176415 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Swine brucellosis due to Brucella suis biovar 2 (bv2) is enzootic in wild boar and hare in continental Europe and may cause major economic losses to the pig industry, mainly in free-ranged pig farms. The high nucleotide identity found among the B. suis biovar 2 isolates has long hindered the full understanding of the epidemiology and the phylogeography of the disease. Here, we used multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) and whole-genome analysis to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in order to gain insights from the largest B. suis bv2 dataset analyzed so far composed of domestic pigs and wildlife isolates collected throughout Europe since the 1970s. We found four major clades with a specific phylogeographic pattern. The Iberian clade contains isolates exclusively from the Iberian Peninsula. The Central European clade includes most isolates from France, Northern Italy, Switzerland and an important proportion of those of Northern Spain. The Eastern European clade clustered isolates from Croatia and Hungary mainly but also from areas of France, Germany, Italy and Poland. Finally, a separated Sardinian clade grouped three isolates from this island. At fine scale, MLVA demonstrated an endemic status of the infection in Europe and it allowed tracking a large outbreak formed by different farms from Spain linked to the same infection source. The whole genome SNP analysis showed that the strains form genetically distinct clades, shared between wild boar and pigs, in agreement with the MLVA clades. Interestingly, all hare isolates clustered together within two groups composed exclusively of wildlife isolates. Our results support the hypothesis that maintenance and spread of B. suis bv2 in Europe is a dynamic process linked to the natural expansion of wild boar as the main wild reservoir of the infection, while spread over long distances is found largely dependent on anthropogenic activities.
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47
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Epidemiological Typing of Serratia marcescens Isolates by Whole-Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing. J Clin Microbiol 2019; 57:JCM.01652-18. [PMID: 30728192 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01652-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen. It is notorious for its increasing antimicrobial resistance and its potential to cause outbreaks of colonization and infections, predominantly in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). There, its spread requires rapid infection control response. To understand its spread, detailed molecular typing is key. We present a whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST) method for S. marcescens Using a set of 299 publicly available whole-genome sequences (WGS), we developed an initial wgMLST system consisting of 9,377 gene loci. This included 1,455 loci occurring in all reference genomes and 7,922 accessory loci. This closed system was validated using three geographically diverse collections of S. marcescens consisting of 111 clinical isolates implicated in nosocomial dissemination events in three hospitals. The validation procedure showed a full match between epidemiological data and the wgMLST analyses. We set the cutoff value for epidemiological (non)relatedness at 20 different alleles, though for the majority of outbreak-clustered isolates, this difference was limited to 4 alleles. This shows that the wgMLST system for S. marcescens provides prospects for successful future monitoring for the epidemiological containment of this opportunistic pathogen.
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De Massis F, Zilli K, Di Donato G, Nuvoloni R, Pelini S, Sacchini L, D’Alterio N, Di Giannatale E. Distribution of Brucella field strains isolated from livestock, wildlife populations, and humans in Italy from 2007 to 2015. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213689. [PMID: 30901346 PMCID: PMC6430384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a major public health problem still prevalent as a neglected endemic zoonosis requiring proactive attention in many communities worldwide. The present study involved analysis of Brucella field strains submitted for typing to the Italian National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis from 2007 to 2015. Strains were identified at the species and biovar levels by classic and molecular techniques according to the World Organisation for Animal Health Manual. In total, 5,784 strains were typed: 3,089 Brucella abortus (53.4%), 2,497 B. melitensis (43.2%), 10 B. ovis (0.2%), 181 B. suis (3.1%), and 7 B. ceti (0.1%). The 2,981 strains from cattle were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3, and 6 (90.1%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (9.9%). The 318 strains from water buffalo were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3 (95.9%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (4.1%). The 2,279 strains from sheep and goats were typed as B. abortus biovars 1 and 3 (4.3%); B. melitensis biovars 1, 3, (95.3%); and B. ovis (0.4%). The 173 strains from wild boar were typed as B. suis biovar 2 (98.3%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (1.7%). The 11 strains from pigs were typed as B. suis biovar 2. The 13 strains from humans were typed as B. melitensis biovar 3. The two strains from horses were typed as B. abortus biovar 1, while the seven strains from dolphins were typed as B. ceti. This additional knowledge on the epidemiology of brucellosis in Italy may be useful to formulate policies and strategies for the control and eradication of the disease in animal populations. The animal species affected, biovars typed, geographical origins, and spatial distributions of isolates are herein analyzed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio De Massis
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | - Katiuscia Zilli
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | - Guido Di Donato
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Sandro Pelini
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | - Lorena Sacchini
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | - Nicola D’Alterio
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Di Giannatale
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale,’ Campo Boario, Teramo, Italy
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