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In-silico genomic characterization of Staphylococcus haemolyticus on a global scale: lineages, resistome, and virulome

S. Morgado, Fernanda S. Freitas, R. Caldart, É. Fonseca, A. C. Vicente

Journal of Infection and Public Health, 2023

310 participants · 9 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Staphylococcus haemolyticus belongs to the Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS), exhibiting the highest levels of antibiotic resistance within this group of bacteria. This species has been increasingly implicated in nosocomial and animal infections worldwide, with a prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH). Most information about this organism comes from regional analyzes or with the absence of typing data, thus not revealing the real role of S. haemolyticus strains in world public health.

METHODS

Here, we performed an enhanced global epidemiological analysis considering all available S. haemolyticus genomes from all continents, including genomes of nosocomial, environmental, and animal origin (n = 310). Furthermore, we added original genomic information from a clinical MRSH from the Brazilian Amazon region. The resistome and virulome of the genomes were associated with their mobilome, being inferred based on the presence of specific genes and databases such as CARD, VFDB, and PlasmidFinder, respectively.

RESULTS

Phylogenetic analysis revealed three main groups, the main one covering most of the clinical clonal complex 3 (CC3) genomes in the world. The virulome of some genomes in this cluster showed the complete capsule operon (capA-capM). Importantly, this virulome trait could be associated with the mobilome, since the capsule operon, as well as a whole set of genes of the type VII secretion system, were observed in plasmids. In…

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