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Stevens MJA, Stephan R, Horlbog JA, Cernela N, Nüesch-Inderbinen M. Whole genome sequence-based characterization of Campylobacter isolated from broiler carcasses over a three-year period in a big poultry slaughterhouse reveals high genetic diversity and a recurring genomic lineage of Campylobacter jejuni. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 119:105578. [PMID: 38417639 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Campylobacter is among the most frequent agents of bacterial gastroenteritis in Europe and is primarily linked to the consumption of contaminated food. The aim of this study was to assess genomic diversity and to identify antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of 155 Campylobacter isolated from broiler carcasses (neck skin samples) in a large-scale Swiss poultry abattoir over a three-year period. Samples originated from broilers from three different types of farming systems (particularly animal-friendly stabling (PAFS), free-range farms, and organic farms). Campylobacter jejuni (n = 127) and Campylobacter coli (n = 28) were analysed using a whole genome sequencing (WGS) approach (MiniSeq; Illumina). Sequence types (STs) were determined in silico from the WGS data and isolates were assigned into complex types (CTs) using the cgMLST SeqSphere+ scheme. Antimicrobial resistance genes were identified using the Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI), and virulence genes were identified using the virulence factor database (VFDB). A high degree of genetic diversity was observed. Many sequence types (C. jejuni ST19, ST21, ST48, ST50, ST122, ST262 and C. coli ST827) occurred more than once and were distributed throughout the study period, irrespective of the year of isolation and of the broiler farming type. Antimicrobial resistance determinants included blaOXA and tet(O) genes, as well as the T86I substitution within GyrA. Virulence genes known to play a role in human Campylobacter infection were identified such as the wlaN, cstIII, neuA1, neuB1, and neuC1. Subtyping of the Campylobacter isolates identified the occurrence of a highly clonal population of C. jejuni ST21 that was isolated throughout the three-year study period from carcasses from farms with geographically different locations and different farming systems. The high rate of genetic diversity observed among broiler carcass isolates is consistent with previous studies. The identification of a persisting highly clonal C. jejuni ST21 subtype suggests that the slaughterhouse may represent an environment in which C. jejuni ST21 may survive, however, the ecological reservoir potentially maintaining this clone remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc J A Stevens
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Stephan
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jule Anna Horlbog
- National Reference Centre for Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Listeria (NENT), Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Cernela
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Nüesch-Inderbinen
- National Reference Centre for Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Listeria (NENT), Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Yeh HY, Cox NA, Hinton A, Berrang ME. Detection and Distribution of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPRs) in Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Chicken Livers. J Food Prot 2024; 87:100250. [PMID: 38382707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100250] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is the leading foodborne bacterial pathogen that causes human gastroenteritis worldwide linked to the consumption of undercooked broiler livers. Application of bacteriophages during poultry production has been used as an alternative approach to reduce contamination of poultry meat by Campylobacter. To make this approach effective, understanding the presence of the bacteriophage sequences in the CRISPR spacers in C. jejuni is critical as they may confer bacterial resistance to bacteriophage treatment. Therefore, in this study, we explored the distribution of the CRISPR arrays from 178 C. jejuni isolated from chicken livers between January and July 2018. Genomic DNA of C. jejuni isolates was extracted, and CRISPR type 1 sequences were amplified by PCR. Amplicons were purified and sequenced by the Sanger dideoxy sequencing method. Direct repeats (DRs) and spacers of CRISPR sequences were identified using the CRISPRFinder program. Further, spacer sequences were submitted to the CRISPRTarget to identify potential homology to bacteriophage types. Even though CRISPR-Cas is reportedly not an active system in Campylobacter, a total of 155 (87%) C. jejuni isolates were found to harbor CRISPR sequences; one type of DR was identified in all 155 isolates. The CRISPR loci lengths ranged from 97 to 431 nucleotides. The numbers of spacers ranged from one to six. A total of 371 spacer sequences were identified in the 155 isolates that could be grouped into 51 distinctive individual sequences. Further comparison of these 51 spacer sequences with those in databases showed that most spacer sequences were homologous to Campylobacter bacteriophage DA10. The results of our study provide important information relative to the development of an effective bacteriophage treatment to mitigate Campylobacter during poultry production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Yueh Yeh
- U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-2720, USA.
| | - Nelson A Cox
- U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-2720, USA
| | - Arthur Hinton
- U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-2720, USA
| | - Mark E Berrang
- U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-2720, USA
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Ostenfeld LJ, Sørensen AN, Neve H, Vitt A, Klumpp J, Sørensen MCH. A hybrid receptor binding protein enables phage F341 infection of Campylobacter by binding to flagella and lipooligosaccharides. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1358909. [PMID: 38380094 PMCID: PMC10877375 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1358909] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Flagellotropic bacteriophages are interesting candidates as therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria dependent on flagellar motility for colonization and causing disease. Yet, phage resistance other than loss of motility has been scarcely studied. Here we developed a soft agar assay to study flagellotropic phage F341 resistance in motile Campylobacter jejuni. We found that phage adsorption was prevented by diverse genetic mutations in the lipooligosaccharides forming the secondary receptor of phage F341. Genome sequencing showed phage F341 belongs to the Fletchervirus genus otherwise comprising capsular-dependent C. jejuni phages. Interestingly, phage F341 encodes a hybrid receptor binding protein (RBP) predicted as a short tail fiber showing partial similarity to RBP1 encoded by capsular-dependent Fletchervirus, but with a receptor binding domain similar to tail fiber protein H of C. jejuni CJIE1 prophages. Thus, C. jejuni prophages may represent a genetic pool from where lytic Fletchervirus phages can acquire new traits like recognition of new receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Jensen Ostenfeld
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Horst Neve
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max-Rubner Institut, Kiel, Germany
| | - Amira Vitt
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jochen Klumpp
- Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Piña-González AM, Castelán-Sánchez HG, Hurtado-Ramírez JM, López-Leal G. Campylobacter prophage diversity reveals pervasive recombination between prophages from different Campylobacter species. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0279523. [PMID: 38088548 PMCID: PMC10782988 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02795-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Prophages play an important role in shaping the genetic diversity and evolution of their hosts. Acquisition or loss of prophages can lead to genomic variations, including changes in the bacterial phenotype promoted by recombination events, genetic repertoire exchanges and dissemination of virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance. By studying prophages in Campylobacter species, scientists can gain insights into the evolutionary patterns, pathogenicity mechanisms, epidemiology, and population dynamics of these species. This has implications for public health, antibiotic resistance surveillance, and the development of targeted therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adán Manuel Piña-González
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional y Virómica Integrativa, Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Hugo G. Castelán-Sánchez
- Grupo de Genómica y Dinámica Evolutiva de Microorganismos Emergentes, Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Gamaliel López-Leal
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional y Virómica Integrativa, Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
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Strathdee SA, Hatfull GF, Mutalik VK, Schooley RT. Phage therapy: From biological mechanisms to future directions. Cell 2023; 186:17-31. [PMID: 36608652 PMCID: PMC9827498 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 140.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing antimicrobial resistance rates have revitalized bacteriophage (phage) research, the natural predators of bacteria discovered over 100 years ago. In order to use phages therapeutically, they should (1) preferably be lytic, (2) kill the bacterial host efficiently, and (3) be fully characterized to exclude side effects. Developing therapeutic phages takes a coordinated effort of multiple stakeholders. Herein, we review the state of the art in phage therapy, covering biological mechanisms, clinical applications, remaining challenges, and future directions involving naturally occurring and genetically modified or synthetic phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffanie A Strathdee
- Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0507, USA.
| | - Graham F Hatfull
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Vivek K Mutalik
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Robert T Schooley
- Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0507, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Campylobacter is a major foodborne pathogen that infects the human intestinal tract. This review discusses the current status of antibiotic resistance, transmission of antibiotic resistance genes, and strategies to combat the global Campylobacter epidemic. RECENT FINDINGS Over the past 18 months, articles on Campylobacter antibiotic resistance have been published in ∼39 countries. Antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter have been detected in humans, livestock, poultry, wild animals, the environment, and food. Campylobacter spp. are resistant to a wide spectrum of antimicrobial agents, including the antibiotics quinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicols. Multidrug resistance is a globally emerging problem. Continuous antibiotic pressure promotes the spread of drug-resistant Campylobacter spp. Additionally, Campylobacter is well adapted to acquiring foreign drug resistance genes, including ermB, optrA, fexA, and cfrC, which are usually acquired from gram-positive bacteria. SUMMARY The widespread use of antibiotics has caused a global epidemic of drug-resistant Campylobacter infections. Many countries are actively reducing the use of antibiotics and adopting alternatives in the livestock and poultry industries to control the spread of drug-resistant Campylobacter spp.
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