Journal article
Tracing melioidosis back to the source: Using whole-genome sequencing to investigate an outbreak originating from a contaminated domestic water supply
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol.53(4), pp.1144-1148
2015
Abstract
Melioidosis, a disease of public health importance in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, is caused by the Gram-negative soil bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis is typically acquired through environmental exposure, and case clusters are rare, even in regions where the disease is endemic. B. pseudomallei is classed as a tier 1 select agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; from a biodefense perspective, source attribution is vital in an outbreak scenario to rule out a deliberate release. Two cases of melioidosis within a 3-month period at a residence in rural northern Australia prompted an investigation to determine the source of exposure. B. pseudomallei isolates from the property's groundwater supply matched the multilocus sequence type of the clinical isolates. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the water supply as the probable source of infection in both cases, with the clinical isolates differing from the likely infecting environmental strain by just one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) each. For the first time, we report a phylogenetic analysis of genomewide insertion/deletion (indel) data, an approach conventionally viewed as problematic due to high mutation rates and homoplasy. Our whole-genome indel analysis was concordant with the SNP phylogeny, and these two combined data sets provided greater resolution and a better fit with our epidemiological chronology of events. Collectively, this investigation represents a highly accurate account of source attribution in a melioidosis outbreak and gives further insight into a frequently overlooked reservoir of B. pseudomallei. Our methods and findings have important implications for outbreak source tracing of this bacterium and other highly recombinogenic pathogens. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Details
- Title
- Tracing melioidosis back to the source: Using whole-genome sequencing to investigate an outbreak originating from a contaminated domestic water supply
- Authors
- E McRobb (Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityDerek S Sarovich (Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityErin P Price (Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityM Kaestli (Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityM Mayo (Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityP Keim (Author) - Northern Arizona University, United StatesB J Currie (Author) - Charles Darwin University
- Publication details
- Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol.53(4), pp.1144-1148
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Date published
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1128/JCM.03453-14
- ISSN
- 0095-1137
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2015 American Society for Microbiology. Reproduced here in accordance with the publisher's copyright policy.
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Centre for Bioinnovation
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99451297802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
55 File views/ downloads
313 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Microbiology
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites