A global genomic analysis of Salmonella Concord reveals lineages with high antimicrobial resistance in Ethiopia

Wim L. Cuypers, Pieter Meysman, François-Xavier Weill, Rene S. Hendriksen, Getenet Beyene, John Wain, Satheesh Nair, Marie A. Chattaway, Blanca M. Perez-Sepulveda, Pieter-Jan Ceyssens, Tessa de Block, Winnie W. Y. Lee, Maria Pardos de la Gandara, Christian Kornschober, Jacob Moran-Gilad, Kees T. Veldman, Martin Cormican, Mia Torpdahl, Patricia I. Fields, Tomáš ČernýLiselotte Hardy, Bieke Tack, Kate C. Mellor, Nicholas Thomson, Gordon Dougan, Stijn Deborggraeve, Jan Jacobs, Kris Laukens, Sandra Van Puyvelde

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
1 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Concord (S. Concord) is known to cause severe gastrointestinal and bloodstream infections in patients from Ethiopia and Ethiopian adoptees, and occasional records exist of S. Concord linked to other countries. The evolution and geographical distribution of S. Concord remained unclear. Here, we provide a genomic overview of the population structure and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of S. Concord by analysing genomes from 284 historical and contemporary isolates obtained between 1944 and 2022 across the globe. We demonstrate that S. Concord is a polyphyletic serovar distributed among three Salmonella super-lineages. Super-lineage A is composed of eight S. Concord lineages, of which four are associated with multiple countries and low levels of AMR. Other lineages are restricted to Ethiopia and horizontally acquired resistance to most antimicrobials used for treating invasive Salmonella infections in low- and middle-income countries. By reconstructing complete genomes for 10 representative strains, we demonstrate the presence of AMR markers integrated in structurally diverse IncHI2 and IncA/C2 plasmids, and/or the chromosome. Molecular surveillance of pathogens such as S. Concord supports the understanding of AMR and the multi-sector response to the global AMR threat. This study provides a comprehensive baseline data set essential for future molecular surveillance.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3517
JournalNature Communications
Volume14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jun 2023

Cite this