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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Infectious Agents and Disease
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1474957
This article is part of the Research Topic Expanded genus Brucella: from taxonomy to clinical manifestations and diagnosis challenges View all 5 articles

Exploring Genetic Determinants of Antimicrobial Resistance in Brucella melitensis Strains of Human and animal origin from India

Provisionally accepted
Haris Ayoub Haris Ayoub 1Suman Kumar Suman Kumar 1Rishab Mehta Rishab Mehta 1Prasad Thomas Prasad Thomas 1Muskan Dubey Muskan Dubey 2HIMANI DHANZE HIMANI DHANZE 1Ganavalli S. Ajantha Ganavalli S. Ajantha 3Kiran N. Bhilegaonkar Kiran N. Bhilegaonkar 1Harith Salih Harith Salih 4Charley Cull Charley Cull 5Ravindra Veeranna Ravindra Veeranna 2*Raghavendra G. Amachawadi Raghavendra G. Amachawadi 4*
  • 1 Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
  • 2 Xavier University School of Medicine, Oranjestad, Netherlands
  • 3 Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
  • 4 Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States
  • 5 Midwest Veterinary Services, Inc.,, Nebraska, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Brucella melitensis, the causative agent of brucellosis, is of growing concern, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the genetic basis of AMR in B. melitensis strains from India. Twenty-four isolates from humans and animals were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing. Resistance to doxycycline (20.80%), ciprofloxacin (16.67%), cotrimoxazole (4.17%), and rifampicin (16.67%) was observed. Genome analysis revealed efflux-related genes like mprF, bepG, bepF, bepC, bepE, and bepD across all isolates, however, classical AMR genes were not detected. Mutations in key AMR-associated genes such as rpoB, gyrA, and folP were identified, intriguingly present in both resistant and susceptible isolates, suggesting a complex genotype-phenotype relationship in AMR among Brucella spp. Additionally, mutations in efflux genes were noted in resistant and some susceptible isolates, indicating their potential role in resistance mechanisms. However, mutations in AMR-associated genes didn't consistently align with phenotypic resistance, suggesting a multifactorial basis for resistance. The study underscores the complexity of AMR in B. melitensis and advocates for a holistic multi-omics approach to fully understand resistance mechanisms. These findings offer valuable insights into genetic markers associated with AMR, guiding future research and treatment strategies.

    Keywords: Brucellosis, Antimicrobial susceptibility, Efflux genes, Single nucleotide polymorphism, Brucella melitensis

    Received: 06 Aug 2024; Accepted: 18 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ayoub, Kumar, Mehta, Thomas, Dubey, DHANZE, Ajantha, Bhilegaonkar, Salih, Cull, Veeranna and Amachawadi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Ravindra Veeranna, Xavier University School of Medicine, Oranjestad, Netherlands
    Raghavendra G. Amachawadi, Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States

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