Open AccessPhylogenetic and antimicrobial drug resistance analysis of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from Ghana
Author(s) -
Japheth A. Opintan,
Robert C. Will,
George Khumalo Kuma,
Mary Osei,
Amos Akumwena,
Gifty Boateng,
Godfred Owusu-Okyere,
Lorreta Antwi,
David Opare,
Agila Kumari Pragasam,
Karthick Vasudevan,
Sunil K. Srivastava,
Balaji Veeraraghavan,
Mercy J. Newman,
Gordon Dougan,
Ankur Mutreja
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
microbial genomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.476
H-Index - 28
ISSN - 2057-5858
DOI - 10.1099/mgen.0.000668
Subject(s) - vibrio cholerae , clade , biology , cholera , phylogenetic tree , el tor , lineage (genetic) , drug resistance , antibiotic resistance , phylogenetics , pandemic , outbreak , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , antibiotics , genetics , gene , bacteria , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , medicine , disease , pathology
We investigated the evolution, phylogeny and antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates (VCO1) from Ghana. Outbreak and environmental sources of VCO1 were characterized, whole-genome sequenced and compared to globally available seventh pandemic (7P) strains of V. cholerae at SNP resolution. Final analyses included 636 isolates. Novel Ghanaian isolates clustered into three distinct clades (clades 1, 2 and 3) in wave 3 of the 7P lineage. The closest relatives of our novel Ghanaian isolates were from Benin, Cameroon, Togo, Niger and Nigeria. All novel Ghanaian isolates were multi-drug resistant. Environmental isolates clustered into clade 2, despite being isolated years later, showing the possibility of persistence and re-emergence of older clades. A lag phase of several years from estimated introduction to reported cases suggests pathogen persistence in the absence of reported cholera cases. These results highlight the importance of deeper surveillance for understanding transmission routes between bordering countries and planning tailored vaccination campaigns in an effort to eradicate cholera.