Genomic Epidemiology of bacteria of medical interest

• Grant number: 16/01656-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Principal Investigator: Enéas de Carvalho
• Grantee: Enéas de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Luiza de Mattos Guaraldi ; João Carlos Setubal ; Jose Salvatore Leister Patane ; Maria Cristina de Cunto Brandileone ; Milena Apetito Akamatsu ; Milton Yutaka Nishiyama Junior ; Paulo Lee Ho ; Raphael Hirata Júnior ; Rosemeire Cobo Zanella Ramos ; Sérgio Bokermann

Abstract

Genomic Epidemiology is a new field of knowledge, with an increasing and exponential presence in scientific literature and in scientific citations. Its main goal is to analyze the epidemiological scenario in a genomic scale, bringing a new level of information for epidemiological studies, which may contribute to the understanding of origin, evolution and population structure of pathogens, as well as contribute to clarify the mechanisms of virulence of pathogens and issues such as the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and vaccine escape. In a common effort of Butantan and Adolfo Lutz Institutes, with collaboration of FioCruz, UFRJ and USP, we propose to evaluate, using Genomic Epidemiology, two important epidemiological cases in Brazil: a severe outbreak of an infectious disease which was only detected in Brazil, the Brazilian Purpuric Fever, caused by the bacteria Haemophilus aegyptius, which has already occurred in the past, was widely reported by the scientific community, but still remains poorly understood; and an evaluation of the population of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A, before and after the introduction of PCV10 vaccine in Brazil, a serotype whose incidence is increasing in several countries, as a probable undesired effect associated with the use of vaccines and antibiotics. We will sequence the genomes of 40 clinical isolates for H. aegyptius e 54 for S. pneumoniae to scaffold level, totalizing 94 sequenced genomes. The circulating strains will be characterized and compared among each other and also to genomes deposited in public databases, allowing us to describe important aspects such as genic content, genomic structure, and variations in genes related to virulence, to antimicrobials resistance and to vaccine escape; these data will be used to produce inferences regarding evolutionary, phylogenetic and phylogeographic processes. This kind of monitoring is important because epidemiological waves are usually globally interlinked and also because the description of epidemiological patterns may serve as an alert of the possibility of the reoccurrence of these patterns, which, indeed, could be occurring without being detected, as a consequence of lack of adequate information. This project aims to generate a better understanding of these three distinct epidemiological cases, producing important knowledge for the field. Besides, this project also has the potential to contribute to insert Brazil in this new and important field of knowledge. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SANTOS, ANA CAROLINA M.; SILVA, ROSA M.; VALIATTI, TIAGO B.; SANTOS, FERNANDA E.; SANTOS-NETO, JOSE E.; CAYO, RODRIGO; STRELING, ANA P.; NODARI, CAROLINA S.; GALES, ANA C.; NISHIYAMA-JR, MILTON Y.; et al. Virulence Potential of a Multidrug-ResistantEscherichia coliStrain Belonging to the Emerging Clonal Group ST101-B1 Isolated from Bloodstream Infection. MICROORGANISMS, v. 8, n. 6, JUN 2020. (16/01656-5, 17/21947-7, 09/00402-6, 18/17353-7)