Mycobacterium bovis: From Genotyping to Genome Sequencing

Author(s)

Guimaraes, Ana M. S. ^[1] ; Zimpel, Cristina K. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol, Lab Appl Res Mycobacteria, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Prevent Vet Med & Anim Hlth, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: MICROORGANISMS; v. 8, n. 5 MAY 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Mycobacterium bovis is the main pathogen of bovine, zoonotic, and wildlife tuberculosis. Despite the existence of programs for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) control in many regions, the disease remains a challenge for the veterinary and public health sectors, especially in developing countries and in high-income nations with wildlife reservoirs. Current bTB control programs are mostly based on test-and-slaughter, movement restrictions, and post-mortem inspection measures. In certain settings, contact tracing and surveillance has benefited from M. bovis genotyping techniques. More recently, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has become the preferential technique to inform outbreak response through contact tracing and source identification for many infectious diseases. As the cost per genome decreases, the application of WGS to bTB control programs is inevitable moving forward. However, there are technical challenges in data analyses and interpretation that hinder the implementation of M. bovis WGS as a molecular epidemiology tool. Therefore, the aim of this review is to describe M. bovis genotyping techniques and discuss current standards and challenges of the use of M. bovis WGS for transmission investigation, surveillance, and global lineages distribution. We compiled a series of associated research gaps to be explored with the ultimate goal of implementing M. bovis WGS in a standardized manner in bTB control programs. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/26108-0 - Systems and comparative biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: effects of genetic variability on bacterial phenotype
• Grantee: Ana Marcia de Sá Guimarães
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/04617-3 - Host adaption of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis: a genomic and transcriptional approach
• Grantee: Cristina Kraemer Zimpel
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate