Journal Article

Microevolution, reinfection and highly complex genomic diversity in patients with sequential isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus

López-Roa, Paula, García de Viedma, Darío, Muñoz, Patricia, Broncano-Lavado, Antonio, Domingo, Diego, Ruiz Serrano, María Jesús, Buenestado-Serrano, Sergio, Sanz-Pérez, Amadeo, Esteban, Jaime, Zamarrón, Ester, Ruedas-López, Alba, Blázquez, Jesús, Toro, Carlos, Pérez-Lago, Laura, Herranz-Martín, Marta, Molero-Salinas, Andrea, Martínez-Lirola, Miguel

2024

Overview

Mycobacterium abscessus is an opportunistic, extensively drug-resistant non-tuberculous mycobacterium. Few genomic studies consider its diversity in persistent infections. Our aim was to characterize microevolution/reinfection events in persistent infections. Fifty-three sequential isolates from 14 patients were sequenced to determine SNV-based distances, assign resistance mutations and characterize plasmids. Genomic analysis revealed 12 persistent cases (0-13 differential SNVs), one reinfection (15,956 SNVs) and one very complex case (23 sequential isolates over 192 months), in which a first period of persistence (58 months) involving the same genotype 1 was followed by identification of a genotype 2 (76 SNVs) in 6 additional alternating isolates; additionally, ten transient genotypes (88-243 SNVs) were found. A macrolide resistance mutation was identified from the second isolate. Despite high diversity, the genotypes shared a common phylogenetic ancestor and some coexisted in the same specimens. Genomic analysis is required to access the true intra-patient complexity behind persistent infections involving M. abscessus . Mycobacterium abscessus is considered an emerging pathogen, given its prevalence in patients with pulmonary diseases, such as cystic fibrosis. Here, authors perform a genomic analysis on sequential isolates obtained from patients with persistent infections of M. abscessus .

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 45/23 / 631/1647/2234 / 631/326/41/2530 / Antibiotics / Complexity / Cystic fibrosis / Drug resistance / Genomic analysis / Genomics / Genotypes / Humanities and Social Sciences / Infections / Lung diseases / multidisciplinary / Mutation / Mycobacterium abscessus / Persistent infection / Phylogeny / Plasmids / Science / Science (multidisciplinary)