1. Evidence for local and international spread of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis through whole genome sequencing of isolates from the island of Ireland.
- Author
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Perets, Viktor, Allen, Adrian, Crispell, Joseph, Cassidy, Sophie, O'Connor, Aoife, Farrell, Damien, Browne, John A., O'Mahony, Jim, Skuce, Robin, Kenny, Kevin, and Gordon, Stephen V.
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MYCOBACTERIUM avium paratuberculosis , *WHOLE genome sequencing , *TUBERCULOSIS in cattle , *SUBSPECIES , *TANDEM repeats , *MIXED infections , *MOLECULAR clock - Abstract
We describe application of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to a collection of 197 Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) isolates gathered from 122 cattle herds across 27 counties of the island of Ireland. We compare WGS to MAP diversity quantified using mycobacterial interspersed random unit – variable number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR). While MIRU-VNTR showed only two major types, WGS could split the 197 isolates into eight major groups. We also found six isolates corresponding to INMV 13, a novel MIRU-VNTR type for Ireland. Evidence for dispersal of MAP across Ireland via cattle movement could be discerned from the data, with mixed infections present in several herds. Furthermore, comparisons of MAP WGS data from Ireland to data from Great Britain and continental Europe revealed many instances of close genetic similarity and hence evidence for international transmission of infection. BEAST MASCOT structured coalescent analyses, with relaxed and strict molecular clocks, estimated the substitution rate to be 0.10–0.13 SNPs/site/year and disclosed greater transitions per lineage per year from Europe to Ireland, indicating transmission into Ireland. Our work therefore reveals new insight into the seeding of MAP infection across Ireland, highlighting how WGS can inform policy formulation to ultimately control MAP transmission at local, national and international scales. • We applied whole genome sequencing (WGS) to 197 Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) isolates from across the island of Ireland. • We show that WGS could split the isolates into eight major groups. • Evidence for dispersal of MAP infection across Ireland and Europe via cattle movement was revealed. • Bayesian analyses indicated directionality of movement from Europe into Ireland. • Our work highlights how WGS can support infection control policies at local, national and international scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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