Genomic epidemiology of Streptococcus agalactiae ST283 in Southeast Asia. - Related Documents




#
Rank
Similarity
Title + Abs.
Year
PMID
012345
580901.0000Genomic epidemiology of Streptococcus agalactiae ST283 in Southeast Asia. Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as Lancefield Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is typically regarded as a neonatal pathogen; however, several studies have shown that the bacteria are capable of causing invasive diseases in non-pregnant adults as well. The majority of documented cases were from Southeast Asian countries, and the most common genotype found was ST283, which is also known to be able to infect fish. This study sequenced 12 GBS ST283 samples collected from adult patients in Thailand. Together with publicly available sequences, we performed temporo-spatial analysis and estimated population dynamics of the bacteria. Putative drug resistance genes were also identified and characterized, and the drug resistance phenotypes were validated experimentally. The results, together with historical records, draw a detailed picture of the past transmission history of GBS ST283 in Southeast Asia.202235264716
491810.9995Time trends for bacterial species and resistance patterns in semen in patients undergoing evaluation for male infertility. Semen from asymptomatic men who are being evaluated as male partners in interfile couples have been reported to contain a variety of bacteria. Longitudinal studies of the variation of these bacteria over time and their resistance patterns have not been commonly reported. At our institution, residues from semen samples are routinely evaluated for bacteria, including antibiotic sensitivity profiles. We set out to profile the changes in semen bacteria and antibiotic resistance at our institution over time. A total of 72 semen isolates were examined for type of bacteria and sensitivity to a panel of antibiotics. The results were divided into two separate 5-year intervals (the first beginning in 2006, the second in 2011) and compared. The majority of bacteria were skin flora, with Streptococcus and Staphylococcus being the most prevalent. The resistance data for these two pathogens showed minimal statistically significant difference between the two time periods, although the Staphylococcus species did show a trend toward increasing resistance, suggesting that antibiotics currently used in sperm cell preparations may need to be varied.201829706808
463020.9995Genome Analysis of the Enterococcus faecium Entfac.YE Prophage. BACKGROUND: Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages are widely distributed in various environments. The prevalence of bacteriophages in water sources, especially wastewaters, is naturally high. These viruses affect evolution of most bacterial species. Bacteriophages are able to integrate their genomes into the chromosomes of their hosts as prophages and hence transfer resistance genes to the bacterial genomes. Enterococci are commensal bacteria that show high resistance to common antibiotics. For example, prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci has increased within the last decades. METHODS: Enterococcal isolates were isolated from clinical samples and morphological, phenotypical, biochemical, and molecular methods were used to identify and confirm their identity. Bacteriophages extracted from water sources were then applied to isolated Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium). In the next step, the bacterial genome was completely sequenced and the existing prophage genome in the bacterial genome was analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, E. faecium EntfacYE was isolated from a clinical sample. The EntfacYE genome was analyzed and 88 prophage genes were identified. The prophage content included four housekeeping genes, 29 genes in the group of genes related to replication and regulation, 25 genes in the group of genes related to structure and packaging, and four genes belonging to the group of genes associated with lysis. Moreover, 26 genes were identified with unknown functions. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, genome analysis of prophages can lead to a better understanding of their roles in the rapid evolution of bacteria.202235509366
459230.9995The Genetic Diversity and Antimicrobial Resistance of Pyogenic Pathogens Isolated from Porcine Lymph Nodes. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, pork remains the most consumed meat in the world. Consequently, it is very important to ensure that it is of the highest microbiological quality. Many of the pathogens that cause lymph node lesions in pigs are zoonotic agents, and the most commonly isolated bacteria are Mycobacterium spp., Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Rhodococcus equi (synonymous with Prescottella equi). The prevention and treatment of zoonotic infections caused by these bacteria are mainly based on antimicrobials. However, an overuse of antimicrobials contributes to the emergence and high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant strains, which are becoming a serious challenge in many countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of the Streptococcus spp. (n = 48), S. aureus (n = 5) and R. equi (n = 17) strains isolated from swine lymph nodes with and without lesions. All isolates of S. dysgalactiae, S. aureus and R. equi were subjected to PFGE analysis, which showed the genetic relatedness of the tested bacteria in the studied pig populations. Additionally, selected tetracycline and macrolide resistance genes in the streptococcal strains were also studied. The results obtained in the present study provide valuable data on the prevalence, diversity, and antimicrobial resistance of the studied bacteria. Numerous isolated bacterial Streptococcus spp. strains presented resistance to doxycycline, and almost half of them carried tetracycline resistance genes. In addition, R. equi and S. aureus bacteria presented a high level of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and to cefotaxime, respectively.202337370345
493040.9995Whole-genome sequencing based characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has transformed our understanding of antimicrobial resistance, yielding new insights into the genetics underlying resistance. To date, most studies using WGS to study antimicrobial resistance have focused on gram-negative bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae, such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli, which have well-defined resistance mechanisms. In contrast, relatively few studies have been performed on gram-positive organisms. We sequenced 197 strains of Enterococcus from various animal and food sources, including 100 Enterococcus faecium and 97 E. faecalis. From analyzing acquired resistance genes and known resistance-associated mutations, we found that resistance genotypes correlated with resistance phenotypes in 96.5% of cases for the 11 drugs investigated. Some resistances, such as those to tigecycline and daptomycin, could not be investigated due to a lack of knowledge of mechanisms underlying these phenotypes. This study showed the utility of WGS for predicting antimicrobial resistance based on genotype alone.201829617860
463150.9995Genome Analysis of an Enterococcal Prophage, Entfac.MY. BACKGROUND: Bacteriophages are bacterial parasites. Unlike lytic bacteriophages, lysogenic bacteriophages do not multiply immediately after entering the host cells and may integrate their genomes into the bacterial genomes as prophages. Prophages can include various phenotypic and genotypic effects on the host bacteria. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive bacteria that cause infections in humans and animals. In recent decades, these bacteria have become resistant to various antimicrobials, including vancomycin. The aim of this study was to analyze genome of an enterococcal prophage. METHODS: In this study, Enterococcus faecium EntfacYE was isolated from biological samples and its genome was analyzed using next-generation sequencing method. RESULTS: Overall, 254 prophage genes were identified in the bacterial genome. The prophage included 39 housekeeping, 41 replication and regulation, 80 structural and packaging, and 48 lysis genes. Moreover, 46 genes with unknown functions were identified. All genes were annotated in DNA Data Bank of Japan. CONCLUSION: In general, most prophage genes were linked to packaging and structure (31.5%) gene group. However, genes with unknown functions included a high proportion (18.11%), which indicated necessity of further analyses. Genomic analysis of the prophages can be effective in better understanding of their roles in development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Moreover, identification and study of prophages can help researchers develop genetic engineering tools and novel infection therapies.202236061127
493660.9995A New Tool for Analyses of Whole Genome Sequences Reveals Dissemination of Specific Strains of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium in a Hospital. A new easy-to-use online bioinformatic tool analyzing whole genome sequences of healthcare associated bacteria was used by a local infection control unit to retrospectively map genetic relationship of isolates of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in a hospital. Three clusters of isolates were detected over a period of 5 years, suggesting transmission between patients. Individual relatedness between isolates within each cluster was established by SNP analyses provided by the system. Genetic antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to antibiotics other than vancomycin were identified. The results suggest that the system is suited for hospital surveillance of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in settings with access to next Generation Sequencing without bioinformatic expertise for interpretation of the genome sequences.202134778297
462870.9995Genomic Analysis of Molecular Bacterial Mechanisms of Resistance to Phage Infection. To optimize phage therapy, we need to understand how bacteria evolve against phage attacks. One of the main problems of phage therapy is the appearance of bacterial resistance variants. The use of genomics to track antimicrobial resistance is increasingly developed and used in clinical laboratories. For that reason, it is important to consider, in an emerging future with phage therapy, to detect and avoid phage-resistant strains that can be overcome by the analysis of metadata provided by whole-genome sequencing. Here, we identified genes associated with phage resistance in 18 Acinetobacter baumannii clinical strains belonging to the ST-2 clonal complex during a decade (Ab2000 vs. 2010): 9 from 2000 to 9 from 2010. The presence of genes putatively associated with phage resistance was detected. Genes detected were associated with an abortive infection system, restriction-modification system, genes predicted to be associated with defense systems but with unknown function, and CRISPR-Cas system. Between 118 and 171 genes were found in the 18 clinical strains. On average, 26% of these genes were detected inside genomic islands in the 2000 strains and 32% in the 2010 strains. Furthermore, 38 potential CRISPR arrays in 17 of 18 of the strains were found, as well as 705 proteins associated with CRISPR-Cas systems. A moderately higher presence of these genes in the strains of 2010 in comparison with those of 2000 was found, especially those related to the restriction-modification system and CRISPR-Cas system. The presence of these genes in genomic islands at a higher rate in the strains of 2010 compared with those of 2000 was also detected. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics could be powerful tools to avoid drawbacks when a personalized therapy is applied. In this study, it allows us to take care of the phage resistance in A. baumannii clinical strains to prevent a failure in possible phage therapy.202135250902
438880.9995Detection of Genes Related to Antibiotic Resistance in Leptospira. Leptospirosis is a disease caused by the bacteria of the Leptospira genus, which can usually be acquired by humans through contact with urine from infected animals; it is also possible for this urine to contaminate soils and bodies of water. The disease can have deadly consequences in some extreme cases. Fortunately, until now, patients with leptospirosis have responded adequately to treatment with doxycycline and azithromycin, and no cases of antibiotic resistance have been reported. However, with the extensive use of such medications, more bacteria, such as Staphylococci and Enterococci, are becoming resistant. The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of genes related to antibiotic resistance in the Leptospira genus using bioinformatic tools, which have not been undertaken in the past. Whole genomes from the 69 described Leptospira species were downloaded from NCBI's GeneBank and analyzed using CARD (The Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistant Database) and RAST (Rapid Annotations using Subsystem Technology). After a detailed genomic search, 12 genes associated with four mechanisms were found: resistance to beta-lactamases, vancomycin, aminoglycoside adenylyltransferases, as well as multiple drug efflux pumps. Some of these genes are highly polymorphic among different species, and some of them are present in multiple copies in the same species. In conclusion, this study provides evidence of the presence of genes related to antibiotic resistance in the genomes of some species of the genus Leptospira, and it is the starting point for future experimental evaluation to determine whether these genes are transcriptionally active in some species and serovars.202439330892
417990.9994Epidemiology of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Streptococcus agalactiae Sequences from a Public Database in a One Health Perspective. Streptococcus agalactiae is a well-known pathogen in humans and food-producing animals. Therefore, this bacterium is a paradigmatic example of a pathogen to be controlled by a One Health approach. Indeed, the zoonotic and reverse-zoonotic potential of the bacteria, the prevalence of Group B Streptococci (GBS) diseases in both human and animal domains, and the threatening global situation on GBS antibiotic resistance make these bacteria an important target for control programs. An epidemiological analysis using a public database containing sequences of S. agalactiae from all over the world was conducted to evaluate the frequency and evolution of antibiotic resistance genes in those isolates. The database we considered (NCBI pathogen detection isolate browser-NPDIB) is maintained on a voluntary basis. Therefore, it does not follow strict epidemiological criteria. However, it may be considered representative of the bacterial population related to human diseases. The results showed that the number of reported sequences increased largely in the last four years, and about 50% are of European origin. The frequency data and the cluster analysis showed that the AMR genes increased in frequency in recent years and suggest the importance of verifying the application of prudent protocols for antimicrobials in areas with an increasing frequency of GBS infections both in human and veterinary medicine.202236140016
4928100.9994Whole genome sequencing data of Klebsiella aerogenes isolated from agricultural soil of Haryana, India. Klebsiella aerogenes, is a Gram-negative bacterium, which was previously known as Enterobacter aerogenes. It is present in all environments such as water, soil, air and hospitals; and is an opportunistic pathogen that causes several types of infections. As compared to other clinically important pathogens included in the ESKAPE category (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species), the pangenome and population structure of Klebsiella aerogenes is still poorly understood. For the present study, the bacterial sample was isolated from agricultural soils of Haryana, India. With an aim to identify the occurrence of multi-drug resistance genes in the agricultural field soil bacterial isolate, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the bacteria was performed; and the antibiotic resistance causing genes, along with the genes responsible for other major functions of the cell; and the different Single Nuceotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Insertions and deletions (InDels) were identified. The data presented in this manuscript can be reused by researchers as a reference for determining the antibiotic resistance genes that could be present in different bacterial isolates, and it would also help in determination of functions of various other genes present in other genomes of Klebsiella species.202134485641
6266110.9994Bacterial gene loss as a mechanism for gain of antimicrobial resistance. Acquisition of exogenous DNA by pathogenic bacteria represents the basis for much of the acquired antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria. A more extreme mechanism to avoid the effect of an antibiotic is to delete the drug target, although this would be predicted to be rare since drug targets are often essential genes. Here, we review and discuss the description of a novel mechanism of resistance to the cephalosporin drug ceftazidime caused by loss of a penicillin-binding protein (PBP) in a Gram-negative bacillus (Burkholderia pseudomallei). This organism causes melioidosis across south-east Asia and northern Australia, and is usually treated with two or more weeks of ceftazidime followed by oral antibiotics for three to six months. Comparison of clinical isolates from six patients with melioidosis found initial ceftazidime-susceptible isolates and subsequent ceftazidime-resistant variants. The latter failed to grow on commonly used culture media, rendering these isolates difficult to detect in the diagnostic laboratory. Genomic analysis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and array based genomic hybridisation revealed a large-scale genomic deletion comprising 49 genes in the ceftazidime-resistant strains. Mutational analysis of wild-type B. pseudomallei demonstrated that ceftazidime resistance was due to deletion of a gene encoding a PBP 3 present within the region of genomic loss. This provides one explanation for ceftazidime treatment failure, and may be a frequent but undetected event in patients with melioidosis.201223022568
5842120.9994Draft Genome Sequence and Biofilm Production of a Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KpR405) Sequence Type 405 Strain Isolated in Italy. Rapid identification and characterization of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains is essential to diagnose severe infections in patients. In clinical routine practice, K. pneumoniae is frequently identified and characterized for outbreak investigation. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis or multilocus sequence typing could be used, but, unfortunately, these methods are time-consuming, laborious, expensive, and do not provide any information about the presence of resistance and virulence genes. In recent years, the decreasing cost of next-generation sequencing and its easy use have led to it being considered a useful method, not only for outbreak surveillance but also for rapid identification and evaluation, in a single step, of virulence factors and resistance genes. Carbapenem-resistant strains of K. pneumoniae have become endemic in Italy, and in these strains the ability to form biofilms, communities of bacteria fixed in an extracellular matrix, can defend the pathogen from the host immune response as well as from antibiotics, improving its persistence in epithelial tissues and on medical device surfaces.202134064924
5813130.9994CRISPR-Cas System: An Adaptive Immune System's Association with Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis. Several factors are involved in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pose a serious threat to public health safety. Among them, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat- (CRISPR-) Cas system, an adaptive immune system, is thought to be involved in the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The current study was aimed at determining not only the presence of antibiotic resistance and CRISPR-Cas system but also their association with each other in Salmonella enteritidis isolated from the commercial poultry. A total of 139 samples were collected from poultry birds sold at the live bird markets of Lahore City, and both phenotypic and genotypic methods were used to determine antimicrobial resistance. The presence of the CRISPR-Cas system was determined by PCR, followed by sequencing. All isolates of S. enteritidis (100%) were resistant to nalidixic acid, whereas 95% of isolates were resistant to ampicillin. Five multidrug-resistant isolates (MDR) such as S. enteritidis isolate (S. E1, S. E2, S. E4, S. E5, and S. E8) were found in the present study. The CRISPR-Cas system was detected in all of these MDR isolates, and eight spacers were detected within the CRISPR array. In addition, an increased expression of CRISPR-related genes was observed in the standard strain and MDR S. enteritidis isolates. The association of the CRISPSR-Cas system with multiple drug resistance highlights the exogenous acquisition of genes by horizontal transfer. The information could be used further to combat antibiotic resistance in pathogens like Salmonella.202235386307
5815140.9994Pangenome Analysis of Helicobacter pylori Isolates from Selected Areas of Africa Indicated Diverse Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Genes. The challenge facing Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection management in some parts of Africa is the evolution of drug-resistant species, the lack of gold standard in diagnostic methods, and the ineffectiveness of current vaccines against the bacteria. It is being established that even though clinical consequences linked to the bacteria vary geographically, there is rather a generic approach to treatment. This situation has remained problematic in the successful fight against the bacteria in parts of Africa. As a result, this study compared the genomes of selected H. pylori isolates from selected areas of Africa and evaluated their virulence and antibiotic drug resistance, those that are highly pathogenic and are associated with specific clinical outcomes and those that are less virulent and rarely associated with clinical outcomes. 146 genomes of H. pylori isolated from selected locations of Africa were sampled, and bioinformatic tools such as Abricate, CARD RGI, MLST, Prokka, Roary, Phandango, Google Sheets, and iTOLS were used to compare the isolates and their antibiotic resistance or susceptibility. Over 20 k virulence and AMR genes were observed. About 95% of the isolates were genetically diverse, 90% of the isolates harbored shell genes, and 50% harbored cloud and core genes. Some isolates did not retain the cagA and vacA genes. Clarithromycin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, and tinidazole were resistant to most AMR genes (vacA, cagA, oip, and bab). Conclusion. This study found both virulence and AMR genes in all H. pylori strains in all the selected geographies around Africa with differing quantities. MLST, Pangenome, and ORF analyses showed disparities among the isolates. This in general could imply diversities in terms of genetics, evolution, and protein production. Therefore, generic administration of antibiotics such as clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and erythromycin as treatment methods in the African subregion could be contributing to the spread of the bacterium's antibiotic resistance.202438469580
4345150.9994Comprehensive identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with beta-lactam resistance within pneumococcal mosaic genes. Traditional genetic association studies are very difficult in bacteria, as the generally limited recombination leads to large linked haplotype blocks, confounding the identification of causative variants. Beta-lactam antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae arises readily as the bacteria can quickly incorporate DNA fragments encompassing variants that make the transformed strains resistant. However, the causative mutations themselves are embedded within larger recombined blocks, and previous studies have only analysed a limited number of isolates, leading to the description of "mosaic genes" as being responsible for resistance. By comparing a large number of genomes of beta-lactam susceptible and non-susceptible strains, the high frequency of recombination should break up these haplotype blocks and allow the use of genetic association approaches to identify individual causative variants. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels that could confer beta-lactam non-susceptibility using 3,085 Thai and 616 USA pneumococcal isolates as independent datasets for the variant discovery. The large sample sizes allowed us to narrow the source of beta-lactam non-susceptibility from long recombinant fragments down to much smaller loci comprised of discrete or linked SNPs. While some loci appear to be universal resistance determinants, contributing equally to non-susceptibility for at least two classes of beta-lactam antibiotics, some play a larger role in resistance to particular antibiotics. All of the identified loci have a highly non-uniform distribution in the populations. They are enriched not only in vaccine-targeted, but also non-vaccine-targeted lineages, which may raise clinical concerns. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms underlying resistance will be essential for future use of genome sequencing to predict antibiotic sensitivity in clinical microbiology.201425101644
5972160.9994Method of Selection of Bacteria Antibiotic Resistance Genes Based on Clustering of Similar Nucleotide Sequences. A new method for selection of bacterium antibiotic resistance genes is proposed and tested for solving the problems related to selection of primers for PCR assay. The method implies clustering of similar nucleotide sequences and selection of group primers for all genes of each cluster. Clustering of resistance genes for six groups of antibiotics (aminoglycosides, β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, glycopeptides, macrolides and lincosamides, and fusidic acid) was performed. The method was tested for 81 strains of bacteria of different genera isolated from patients (K. pneumoniae, Staphylococcus spp., S. agalactiae, E. faecalis, E. coli, and G. vaginalis). The results obtained by us are comparable to those in the selection of individual genes; this allows reducing the number of primers necessary for maximum coverage of the known antibiotic resistance genes during PCR analysis.201729063318
5156170.9994Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from animal with high virulence genes content and highly sensitive to antimicrobials. OBJECTIVES: P. aeruginosa is one of the most metabolically versatile bacteria having the ability to survive in multiple environments through its accessory genome. An important hallmark of P. aeruginosa is the high level of antibiotic resistance, which often makes eradication difficult and sometimes impossible. Evolutionary forces have led to this bacterium to develop high antimicrobial resistance with a variety of elements contributing to both intrinsic and acquired resistance. The objectives were to genetically and phenotypically characterizer P. aeruginosa strains isolated from companion animals of different species. METHODS: We characterized a collection of 39 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from infected animals. The genetic characterization was in relation to chromosomal profile by PFGE; content of virulence gene; presence of genomic islands (GIs); genes of the cytotoxins exported by T3SS: exoU, exoS, exoT and exoY; and type IV pili allele. The phenotypic characterization was based on patterns of susceptibility to different antimicrobials. RESULTS: Each strain had a PFGE profile, a high virulence genes content, and a large accessory genome. However, most of the strains presented high sensitivity to almost all antimicrobials tested, showing no acquired resistance (no β-lactamases). The exception to this lack of resistance was seen with penicillin. CONCLUSIONS: P. aeruginosa could be a naturally sensitive bacterium to standard antimicrobials but could rapidly develop intrinsic and acquired resistance when the bacterium is exposed to pressure exerted by antibiotics, as observed in hospital settings.202438452900
4929180.9994Comparative genomics analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii multi-drug resistant and drug sensitive strains in China. The incidence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has posed a major challenge for clinical treatment. There is still a significant gap in understanding the mechanism causing multi-drug resistance (MDR). In this study, the genomes of 10 drug sensitive and 10 multi-drug resistant A.baumannii strains isolated from a hospital in China were sequenced and compared. The antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors were determined and CRIPSR-Cas system along with prophages were detected. The results showed that MDR strains are significantly different from the drug sensitive strains in the CARD entries, patterns of sequences matching up to plasmids, VFDB entries and CRISPR-Cas system. MDR strains contain unique CARD items related to antibiotic resistance which are absent in sensitive strains. Furthermore, sequences from genomes of MDR strains can match up with plasmids from more diversified bacteria genera compared to drug sensitive strains. MDR strains also contain a lower level of CRISPR genes and larger amount of prophages, along with higher levels of spacer sequences. These findings provide new experimental evidences for the study of the antibiotic resistance mechanism of A. baumannii.202235307599
5519190.9994Antimicrobial susceptibility, virulence potential and sequence types associated with Arcobacter strains recovered from human faeces. PURPOSE: The genus Arcobacter includes bacteria that are considered emergent pathogens because they can produce infections in humans and animals. The most common symptoms are bloody and non-bloody persistent diarrhea but cases with abdominal cramps without diarrhea or asymptomatic cases have also been described as well as cases with bacteremia. The objective was to characterize Arcobacter clinical strains isolated from the faeces of patients from three Spanish hospitals. METHODOLOGY: We have characterized 28 clinical strains (27 of A. butzleri and one of A. cryaerophilus) isolated from faeces, analysing their epidemiological relationship using the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach and screening them for their antibiotic susceptibility and for the presence of virulence genes.Results/Key findings. Typing results showed that only one of the 28 identified sequence types (i.e. ST 2) was already present in the MLST database. The other 27 STs constituted new records because they included new alleles for five of the seven genes or new combinations of known alleles of the seven genes. All strains were positive for the ciaB virulence gene and sensitive to tetracycline. However, 7.4 % of the A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus strains showed resistance to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION: The fact that epidemiological unrelated strains show the same ST indicates that other techniques with higher resolution should be developed to effectively recognize the infection source. Resistance to ciprofloxacin, one of the antibiotics recommended for the treatment of Arcobacter intestinal infections, demonstrated in 10.7 % of the strains, indicates the importance of selecting the most appropriate effective treatment.201729120301