Dataset Information

Rapid evolution of virulence and drug resistance in the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that infects pigs and can occasionally cause serious infections in humans. S. suis infections occur sporadically in human Europe and North America, but a recent major outbreak has been described in China with high levels of mortality. The mechanisms of S. suis pathogenesis in humans and pigs are poorly understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:The sequencing of whole genomes of S. suis isolates provides opportunities to investigate the genetic basis of infection. Here we describe whole genome sequences of three S. suis strains from the same lineage: one from European pigs, and two from human cases from China and Vietnam. Comparative genomic analysis was used to investigate the variability of these strains. S. suis is phylogenetically distinct from other Streptococcus species for which genome sequences are currently available. Accordingly, approximately 40% of the approximately 2 Mb genome is unique in comparison to other Streptococcus species. Finer genomic comparisons within the species showed a high level of sequence conservation; virtually all of the genome is common to the S. suis strains. The only exceptions are three approximately 90 kb regions, present in the two isolates from humans, composed of integrative conjugative elements and transposons. Carried in these regions are coding sequences associated with drug resistance. In addition, small-scale sequence variation has generated pseudogenes in putative virulence and colonization factors. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:The genomic inventories of genetically related S. suis strains, isolated from distinct hosts and diseases, exhibit high levels of conservation. However, the genomes provide evidence that horizontal gene transfer has contributed to the evolution of drug resistance.

SUBMITTER: Holden MT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2705793 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Rapid evolution of virulence and drug resistance in the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis.

Holden Matthew T G MT Hauser Heidi H Sanders Mandy M Ngo Thi Hoa TH Cherevach Inna I Cronin Ann A Goodhead Ian I Mungall Karen K Quail Michael A MA Price Claire C Rabbinowitsch Ester E Sharp Sarah S Croucher Nicholas J NJ Chieu Tran Bich TB Mai Nguyen Thi Hoang NT Diep To Song TS Chinh Nguyen Tran NT Kehoe Michael M Leigh James A JA Ward Philip N PN Dowson Christopher G CG Whatmore Adrian M AM Chanter Neil N Iversen Pernille P Gottschalk Marcelo M Slater Josh D JD Smith Hilde E HE Spratt Brian G BG Xu Jianguo J Ye Changyun C Bentley Stephen S Barrell Barclay G BG Schultsz Constance C Maskell Duncan J DJ Parkhill Julian J

PloS one 20090715 7

<h4>Background</h4>Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that infects pigs and can occasionally cause serious infections in humans. S. suis infections occur sporadically in human Europe and North America, but a recent major outbreak has been described in China with high levels of mortality. The mechanisms of S. suis pathogenesis in humans and pigs are poorly understood.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>The sequencing of whole genomes of S. suis isolates provides opportunities to investi ...[more]

PMID: 19603075

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Project description:BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the gravest threats to human health and food security worldwide. The use of antimicrobials in livestock production can lead to emergence of AMR, which can have direct effects on humans through spread of zoonotic disease. Pigs pose a particular risk as they are a source of zoonotic diseases and receive more antimicrobials than most other livestock. Here we use a large-scale genomic approach to characterise AMR in Streptococcus suis, a commensal found in most pigs, but which can also cause serious disease in both pigs and humans.ResultsWe obtained replicated measures of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for 16 antibiotics, across a panel of 678 isolates, from the major pig-producing regions of the world. For several drugs, there was no natural separation into 'resistant' and 'susceptible', highlighting the need to treat MIC as a quantitative trait. We found differences in MICs between countries, consistent with their patterns of antimicrobial usage. AMR levels were high even for drugs not used to treat S. suis, with many multidrug-resistant isolates. Similar levels of resistance were found in pigs and humans from regions associated with zoonotic transmission. We next used whole genome sequences for each isolate to identify 43 candidate resistance determinants, 22 of which were novel in S. suis. The presence of these determinants explained most of the variation in MIC. But there were also interesting complications, including epistatic interactions, where known resistance alleles had no effect in some genetic backgrounds. Beta-lactam resistance involved many core genome variants of small effect, appearing in a characteristic order.ConclusionsWe present a large dataset allowing the analysis of the multiple contributing factors to AMR in S. suis. The high levels of AMR in S. suis that we observe are reflected by antibiotic usage patterns but our results confirm the potential for genomic data to aid in the fight against AMR.

Dataset Information

Rapid evolution of virulence and drug resistance in the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis.

Publications

Rapid evolution of virulence and drug resistance in the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis.

Similar Datasets

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