Genotyping of burkholderia mallei from an outbreak of glanders in bahrain suggests multiple introduction events

Scholz, Holger C. and Pearson, Talima and Hornstra, Heidie and Projahn, Michaela and Terzioglu, Rahime and Wernery, Renate and Georgi, Enrico and Riehm, Julia M. and Wagner, David M. and Keim, Paul S. and Joseph, Marina and Johnson, Bobby and Kinne, Joerg and Jose, Shanti and Hepp, Crystal M. and Witte, Angela and Wernery, Ulrich (2014) Genotyping of burkholderia mallei from an outbreak of glanders in bahrain suggests multiple introduction events. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8 (9). e3195. ISSN 1935-2727

Preview

Text Scholz_HC_et_al_2014_Genotyping_of_Burkholderia_malei_in_Bahrain(1).pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (293kB) | Preview

Abstract

Background: Glanders, caused by the gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia mallei, is a highly infectious zoonotic disease of solipeds causing severe disease in animals and men. Although eradicated from many Western countries, it recently emerged in Asia, the Middle-East, Africa, and South America. Due to its rareness, little is known about outbreak dynamics of the disease and its epidemiology. Methodology/Principal Findings: We investigated a recent outbreak of glanders in Bahrain by applying high resolution genotyping (multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats, MLVA) and comparative whole genome sequencing to B. mallei isolated from infected horses and a camel. These results were compared to samples obtained from an outbreak in the United Arab Emirates in 2004, and further placed into a broader phylogeographic context based on previously published B. mallei data. The samples from the outbreak in Bahrain separated into two distinct clusters, suggesting a complex epidemiological background and evidence for the involvement of multiple B. mallei strains. Additionally, the samples from Bahrain were more closely related to B. mallei isolated from horses in the United Arab Emirates in 2004 than other B. mallei which is suggestive of repeated importation to the region from similar geographic sources. Conclusion/Significance: High-resolution genotyping and comparative whole genome analysis revealed the same phylogenetic patterns among our samples. The close relationship of the Dubai/UAE B. mallei populations to each other may be indicative of a similar geographic origin that has yet to be identified for the infecting strains. The recent emergence of glanders in combination with worldwide horse trading might pose a new risk for human infections.

Item Type:	Article
ID number or DOI:	10.1371/journal.pntd.0003195
Keywords:	Burkholderia mallei; zoonotic disease; glanders; genome sequencing
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Faculty/Staff
Department/Unit:	Research Centers > Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2015 19:37
URI:	http://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/1750

Actions (login required)

IR Staff Record View

Downloads