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Developing genome typing strategies for the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus parasuis
Xiyan Zhang1, Xueli Yi2,3, Wenbo Luo1
1National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|October 21, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a whole-genome sequence-based typing strategy for Streptococcus parasuis, enhancing epidemiological surveillance and zoonotic potential evaluation. The developed methods offer rapid, reproducible identification of strains, crucial for controlling rising human infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Human infections with the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus parasuis are increasing.
- Standardized genotyping tools are essential for tracking S. parasuis strains and assessing their zoonotic risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a rapid, reproducible, and expandable whole-genome sequence (WGS)-based typing strategy for S. parasuis.
- To characterize the S. parasuis population structure and phylogenetic relationships.
Main Methods:
- Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 255 S. parasuis isolates.
- Development of a minimum core genome (MCG) typing scheme based on SNPs.
- Development of a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme using seven housekeeping loci.
Main Results:
- The S. parasuis population was divided into 12 MCG clusters and two distinct lineages.
- A rapid MCG typing program achieved 92.5% accuracy in cluster assignment.
- An MLST scheme defined 161 sequence types (STs), revealing complex clonal structures and high discriminatory power (0.9821).
Conclusions:
- The developed WGS-based typing strategy is effective for taxonomic identification and epidemiological surveillance of S. parasuis.
- These tools aid in evaluating the zoonotic potential of S. parasuis strains.
- The findings support the development of targeted prevention and control strategies for S. parasuis infections.

