Jeffrey T Foster, Faith M Walker, Brandy D Rannals, M Hammad Hussain, Kevin P Drees, Rebekah V Tiller, Alex R Hoffmaster, Abdulmajeed Al-Rawahi, Paul Keim, Muhammad Saqib
Author Information
Jeffrey T Foster: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States.
Faith M Walker: Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States.
Brandy D Rannals: Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States.
M Hammad Hussain: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Kevin P Drees: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States.
Rebekah V Tiller: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Alex R Hoffmaster: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Abdulmajeed Al-Rawahi: Animal Health Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Muscat, Oman.
Paul Keim: Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States.
Muhammad Saqib: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Brucellosis is a common livestock disease in the Middle East and North Africa, but remains poorly described in the region both genetically and epidemiologically. Traditionally found in goats and sheep, is increasingly recognized as infecting camels. Most studies of brucellosis in camels to date have focused on serological surveys, providing only limited understanding of the molecular epidemiology of circulating strains. We genotyped isolates from Omani camels using whole genome SNP assays and VNTRs to provide context for regional brucellosis cases. We identified a lineage of circulating in camels as well as in goats, sheep, and cattle in Oman. This lineage is genetically distinct from most genotypes from the Arabian Peninsula and from isolates from much of the rest of the Middle East. We then developed diagnostic assays that rapidly identify strains from this lineage. In analyses of genotypes from throughout the region, Omani isolates were genetically most closely related to strains from brucellosis cases in humans and livestock in North Africa. Our findings suggest an African origin for in Oman that has likely occurred through the trade of infected livestock. Moreover, African lineages of appear to be undersampled and consequently are underrepresented in genetic databases for . As we begin to more fully understand global genomic diversity of , finding and characterizing these unique but widespread lineages is essential. We predict that increased sampling of humans and livestock in Africa will reveal little known diversity in this important zoonotic pathogen.
