Whole Genome Sequencing of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) Isolates from Sputum Specimens of Co-Habiting Patients with NTM Pulmonary Disease and NTM Isolates from Their Environment
Background: Nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) species are ubiquitous microorganisms. NTM pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is thought to be caused not by human-to-human transmission but by independent environmental acquisition. However, recent studies using next-generation sequencing (NGS) have reported trans-continental spread of Mycobacterium abscessus among patients with cystic fibrosis.
Results: We investigated NTM genomes through NGS to examine transmission patterns in three pairs of co-habiting patients with NTM-PD who were suspected of patient-to-patient transmission. Three pairs of patients with NTM-PD co-habiting for at least 15 years were enrolled: a mother and a daughter with M. avium-PD, a couple with M. intracellulare-PD, and a second couple, one of whom was infected with M. intracellulare and the other of whom was infected with M. abscessus. Whole genome sequencing was performed using patients’ NTM isolates as well as environmental specimens. Genetic distances were estimated based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). By comparison with the genetic distances among 78 publicly available NTM genomes, NTM isolates derived from the two pairs of patients infected with the same NTM species were not closely related to each other. In phylogenetic analysis, the NTM isolates from patients with M. avium-PD clustered with isolates from different environmental sources.
Conclusions: In conclusion, considering the genetic distances between NTM strains, the likelihood of patient-to-patient transmission in pairs of co-habiting NTM-PD patients without overt immune deficiency is minimal.
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Whole Genome Sequencing of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) Isolates from Sputum Specimens of Co-Habiting Patients with NTM Pulmonary Disease and NTM Isolates from Their Environment
On 23 Apr, 2020
On 15 Apr, 2020
On 14 Apr, 2020
On 13 Apr, 2020
On 13 Apr, 2020
Posted 14 Apr, 2020
On 08 Apr, 2020
On 07 Apr, 2020
On 06 Apr, 2020
On 06 Apr, 2020
Received 02 Apr, 2020
On 02 Apr, 2020
On 29 Mar, 2020
Received 29 Mar, 2020
Received 24 Mar, 2020
On 23 Mar, 2020
On 22 Mar, 2020
Invitations sent on 22 Mar, 2020
On 22 Mar, 2020
On 21 Mar, 2020
On 21 Mar, 2020
Received 24 Dec, 2019
On 24 Dec, 2019
Received 15 Dec, 2019
On 04 Dec, 2019
Received 02 Dec, 2019
On 27 Nov, 2019
Invitations sent on 26 Nov, 2019
On 26 Nov, 2019
On 21 Nov, 2019
On 20 Nov, 2019
On 19 Nov, 2019
On 19 Nov, 2019
Background: Nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) species are ubiquitous microorganisms. NTM pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is thought to be caused not by human-to-human transmission but by independent environmental acquisition. However, recent studies using next-generation sequencing (NGS) have reported trans-continental spread of Mycobacterium abscessus among patients with cystic fibrosis.
Results: We investigated NTM genomes through NGS to examine transmission patterns in three pairs of co-habiting patients with NTM-PD who were suspected of patient-to-patient transmission. Three pairs of patients with NTM-PD co-habiting for at least 15 years were enrolled: a mother and a daughter with M. avium-PD, a couple with M. intracellulare-PD, and a second couple, one of whom was infected with M. intracellulare and the other of whom was infected with M. abscessus. Whole genome sequencing was performed using patients’ NTM isolates as well as environmental specimens. Genetic distances were estimated based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). By comparison with the genetic distances among 78 publicly available NTM genomes, NTM isolates derived from the two pairs of patients infected with the same NTM species were not closely related to each other. In phylogenetic analysis, the NTM isolates from patients with M. avium-PD clustered with isolates from different environmental sources.
Conclusions: In conclusion, considering the genetic distances between NTM strains, the likelihood of patient-to-patient transmission in pairs of co-habiting NTM-PD patients without overt immune deficiency is minimal.
Figure 1
Figure 2