biostudies-literatureUnknown6(4)Yousuf BCanadian Blood ServicesHealth Canada<i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> is one of the predominant bacterial contaminants in platelet concentrates (PCs), a blood component used to treat bleeding disorders. PCs are a unique niche that triggers biofilm formation, the main pathomechanism of <i>S. epidermidis</i> infections. We performed whole genome sequencing of four <i>S. epidermidis</i> strains isolated from skin of healthy human volunteers (AZ22 and AZ39) and contaminated PCs (ST10002 and ST11003) to unravel phylogenetic relationships and decipher virulence mechanisms compared to 24 complete <i>S. epidermidis</i> genomes in GenBank. AZ39 and ST11003 formed a separate unique lineage with strains 14.1 .R1 and SE95, while AZ22 formed a cluster with 1457 and ST10002 closely grouped with FDAAGOS_161. The four isolates were assignedAccess microbiology000780.v3https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11083402biostudies-literatureComparative virulome analysis of four Staphylococcus epidermidis strains from human skin and platelet concentrates using whole genome sequencing.PMC11083402Flint AWeedmark KPagotto FRamirez-Arcos SYousuf BfalseComparative virulome analysis of four Staphylococcus epidermidis strains from human skin and platelet concentrates using whole genome sequencing.<i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> is one of the predominant bacterial contaminants in platelet concentrates (PCs), a blood component used to treat bleeding disorders. PCs are a unique niche that triggers biofilm formation, the main pathomechanism of <i>S. epidermidis</i> infections. We performed whole genome sequencing of four <i>S. epidermidis</i> strains isolated from skin of healthy human volunteers (AZ22 and AZ39) and contaminated PCs (ST10002 and ST11003) to unravel phylogenetic relationships and decipher virulence mechanisms compared to 24 complete <i>S. epidermidis</i> genomes in GenBank. AZ39 and ST11003 formed a separate unique lineage with strains 14.1 .R1 and SE95, while AZ22 formed a cluster with 1457 and ST10002 closely grouped with FDAAGOS_161. The four isolates were assigned2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242026-06-01T17:16:18.671Z2025-07-25T03:08:07.539ZS-EPMC110834023873780010.1099/acmi.0.000780.v3