Capturing the cloud of diversity reveals complexity and heterogeneity of MRSA carriage, infection and transmission
Abstract
Genome sequencing is revolutionizing clinical microbiology and our understanding of infectious diseases. Previous studies have largely relied on the sequencing of a single isolate from each individual. However, it is not clear what degree of bacterial diversity exists within, and is transmitted between individuals. Understanding this 'cloud of diversity' is key to accurate identification of transmission pathways. Here, we report the deep sequencing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among staff and animal patients involved in a transmission network at a veterinary hospital. We demonstrate considerable within-host diversity and that within-host diversity may rise and fall over time. Isolates from invasive disease contained multiple mutations in the same genes, including inactivation of a global regulator of virulence and changes in phage copy number. This study highlights the need for sequencing of multiple isolates from individuals to gain an accurate picture of transmission networks and to further understand the basis of pathogenesis.
Citation
Paterson , G K , Harrison , E M , Murray , G G R , Welch , J J , Warland , J H , Holden , M T G , Morgan , F J E , Ba , X , Koop , G , Harris , S R , Maskell , D J , Peacock , S J , Herrtage , M E , Parkhill , J & Holmes , M A 2015 , ' Capturing the cloud of diversity reveals complexity and heterogeneity of MRSA carriage, infection and transmission ' , Nature Communications , vol. 6 , 6560 . https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7560
Publication
Nature Communications
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
2041-1723Type
Journal article
Rights
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Description
Funding: M.T.G.H., S.R.H. and J.P. were funded by Wellcome Trust grant no. 098051.Collections
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