Acinetobacter baumannii from grass: novel but non-resistant clones

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Genomics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial pathogen, primarily associated with hospitals.
• Recent studies have explored animal and environmental isolates, but grass reservoirs remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolutionary relationships and antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii clones found in grass.
• To compare grass isolates with major human and animal clones.

Main Methods:

• Genomic epidemiology analysis of 240 Acinetobacter baumannii genomes from four sources.
• Core and accessory genome analyses.
• Multilocus sequence typing (Pasteur and Oxford schemes).

Main Results:

• Grass isolates formed seven distinct clusters, separate from major human and animal clones.
• New sequence types were identified (2 Pasteur, 7 Oxford).
• Grass isolates possessed fewer antibiotic-resistance genes and exhibited no tested antibiotic resistance.

Conclusions:

• Novel Acinetobacter baumannii clones in grass have limited antibiotic resistance potential.
• Genomic epidemiology and surveillance should include environmental sources for a comprehensive One Health strategy.