Whole Genome Characterization of <i>Leptospira kirschneri</i> Serogroup Pomona in Croatia: Insights into Its Diversity and Evolutionary Emergence.

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. with small rodents serving as the main reservoir. In Croatia, the serogroup Pomona has been detected most frequently, but its genomic diversity remains insufficiently characterized. This study presents the first whole genome sequencing analysis of 48 Croatian Leptospira spp. isolates collected from small rodents over a 14-year period. Serological typing confirmed that all the isolates belonged to the serogroup Pomona. Genomic analysis assigned them to L. kirschneri based on high genomic similarity using average nucleotide identity (ANI). The isolates were assigned to ST-98 using traditional multilocus sequence typing (MLST), while cgMLST identified seven genotype clusters, many of which showed g

SUBMITTER: Benvin I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12472981 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature