Ecological diversification reveals routes of pathogen emergence in endemic Vibrio vulnificus populations.

ABSTRACT: Pathogen emergence is a complex phenomenon that, despite its public health relevance, remains poorly understood. Vibrio vulnificus, an emergent human pathogen, can cause a deadly septicaemia with over 50% mortality rate. To date, the ecological drivers that lead to the emergence of clinical strains and the unique genetic traits that allow these clones to colonize the human host remain mostly unknown. We recently surveyed a large estuary in eastern Florida, where outbreaks of the disease frequently occur, and found endemic populations of the bacterium. We established two sampling sites and observed strong correlations between location and pathogenic potential. One site is significantly enriched with strains that belong to one phylogenomic cluster (C1) in which the majority of clinical strai

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Perez M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8501797 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature