Multilocus sequence typing scheme for the Mycobacterium abscessus complex

We developed a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for Mycobacterium abscessus sensu lato, based on the partial sequencing of seven housekeeping genes: argH, cya, glpK, gnd, murC, pta and purH. This scheme was used to characterize a collection of 227 isolates recovered between 1994 and 2010 in France, Germany, Switzerland and Brazil. We identified 100 different sequence types (STs), which were distributed into three groups on the tree obtained by concatenating the sequences of the seven housekeeping gene fragments (3576 bp): the M. abscessus sensu stricto group (44 STs), the M. massiliense group (31 STs) and the M. bolletii group (25 STs). SplitTree analysis showed a degree of intergroup lateral transfers. There was also evidence of lateral transfer events involving rpoB. the most prevalent STs in our collection were ST1 (CC5; 20 isolates) and ST23 (CC3; 31 isolates). Both STs were found in Europe and Brazil, and the latter was implicated in a large post-surgical procedure outbreak in Brazil. Respiratory isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis belonged to a large variety of STs; however, ST2 was predominant in this group of patients.Our MLST scheme, publicly available at www.pasteur.fr/mlst, offers investigators a valuable typing tool for M. abscessus sensu lato in future epidemiological studies throughout the world. (C) 2013 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.Vaincre la MucoviscidoseHop Ambroise Pare, Hop Univ Paris Ile France Ouest, AP HP, Microbiol Serv, F-92100 Boulogne, FranceHop Raymond Poincard, Hop Univ Paris Ile France Guest, AP HP, Microbiol Lab, Garches, FranceUniv Versailles St Quentin Yvelines, EA 3647, F-78180 Montigny Le Bretonneux, FranceInst Pasteur, F-75015 Paris, FranceCtr Natl Reference Mycobacteries & Resistance Myc, F-75013 Paris, FranceGrp Hosp Pitie Salpetriere, AP HP, Lab Bacteriol Hyg, F-75013 Paris, FranceUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Espirito Santo, Nucl Doencas Infecciosas, Goiabeiras Vitoria, ES, BrazilCaribbean Publ Hlth Agcy CARPHA, Madrid, SpainForschungszentrum Borstel, Natl Reference Ctr Mycobacteria, D-23845 Borstel, GermanyZentrum LaborMed, Inst Med Mikrobiol, CH-6004 Luzern, SwitzerlandUniv Bern, Inst Infektionskrankheiten, CH-3010 Bern, SwitzerlandGrp Hosp Lariboisiere Fernand Widal, AP HP, Microbiol Lab, F-75010 Paris, FranceInst Pasteur, Lab Rech & Reference TB & Mycobacteries, Les Abymes 97183, GuadeloupeUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc