Phylogenomic and population genomic insights into the dissemination of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli causing bloodstream infections in the United Arab Emirates.
Khalifa HO, Mohammed T, Ramadan H, Abdalla A, Ghazawi A
Summary
PubMedThis article studies pathogenic bacteria (E. coli) causing human bloodstream infections in the UAE using genomic analysis. It is medical microbiology research, not plant science.
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Key Findings
45 ESBL-producing E. coli bloodstream infection isolates were analyzed with whole-genome sequencing performed on 29 representative strains between 2021-2024
International high-risk lineages ST131 and ST1193 were predominant, associated with beta-lactamase genes
Population genomic and phylogenomic analysis revealed evolutionary relationships across human and non-human bacterial reservoirs
Original Abstract
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli are globally disseminated pathogens whose success is driven by clonal expansion and horizontal gene transfer. However, the population structure and evolutionary relationships of these organisms in the United Arab Emirates remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we applied a population genomic and phylogenomic approach to investigate ESBL-producing E. coli causing bloodstream infections and their genetic relatedness to strains from non-human reservoirs within a One Health framework. Forty-five ESBL-producing E. coli isolates recovered from bloodstream infections between 2021 and 2024 were analyzed, with whole-genome sequencing performed on 29 representative isolates. Genomic analyses revealed the predominance of internationally disseminated high-risk lineages, particularly sequence types ST131 and ST1193, largely associated with the ESBL gene bla