The intra-host evolutionary landscape and pathoadaptation of persistent Staphylococcus aureus in chronic rhinosinusitis

• DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001128
• Publication Date: 2023-11-27T16:18:23Z
• Authors: Ghais Houtak; George Bouras; Roshan Nepal; Gohar Shaghayegh; Clare Cooksley; Alkis James Psaltis; Peter-John Wormald; Sarah Vreugde
• Keywords: Prophage; Multidrug tolerance

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common chronic sinonasal mucosal inflammation associated with Staphylococcus aureus biofilm and relapsing infections. This study aimed to determine rates of S. persistence pathoadaptation in CRS patients by investigating the genomic relatedness antibiotic resistance/tolerance longitudinally collected clinical isolates. A total 68 S . paired isolates (34 pairs) were sourced from 34 at least 6 months apart. Isolates grown into 48 h biofilms tested for tolerance antibiotics. hybrid sequencing strategy was used obtain high-quality reference-grade assemblies all Single nucleotide variants (SNV) divergence core genome sequence type clustering analyse isolate pairs. structural variations, plasmid similarity, copy numbers between pairs examined. Our analysis revealed that 41 % (14/34 persistent, while 59 (20/34 non-persistent. Persistent showed episode-specific mutational changes over time bias towards events genes involved adhesion host mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, prophages, insertion sequences. Furthermore, significant increase number conserved plasmids persistent strains observed. accompanied against antibiotics, which linked biomass time, indicating potential pathoadaptive process In conclusion, our provides important insights during highlighting mechanisms culminating increased biomass.