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6 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 6
Molecular Epidemiology and In-Depth Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates from Armenia

Abstract (Expand)

The global dissemination of Klebsiella pneumoniae pathotypes with multidrug-resistant (MDR) and hypervirulent traits poses a threat to public health. The situation in Armenia is unclear, and we performed … a comprehensive characterisation of 48 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae, collected from 2018 to 2024. The majority of the isolates (64.58%) were extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and MDR. Genomic analysis of 21 isolates revealed the presence of international high-risk MDR clones (ST395, ST15, and ST307). The ST395 strains were isolated from children and resisted the first-line drugs such as beta-lactams. These isolates harboured a range of virulence determinants, from capsule polysaccharides to siderophores to regulators of the mucoid phenotype. The ST395 strains are enriched by ICEs, plasmids, and prophages, on which antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence genes are located and which may lead to the convergence of MDR and hypervirulent traits. There is a widespread non-specific AMR mechanism among our K. pneumoniae strains. These are mutations in the porin genes, which reduce permeability to antimicrobials, and mutations in the regulators of efflux pumps, which lead to overexpression of drug efflux pumps such as AcrAB. These mechanisms may contribute to the elevated MICs and confer AMR to strains with no specific AMR genes.

Authors: Anahit Sedrakyan, Zaruhi Gevorgyan, Magdalina Zakharyan, Karine Arakelova, Shoghik Hakobyan, Alvard Hovhannisyan, Rustam Aminov

Date Published: 9th Jan 2025

Publication Type: Journal

Molecular Epidemiology and Virulence of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella in Armenia

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In this work, we analysed human isolates of nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (NTS), which were collected from salmonellosis cases in Armenia from 1996 to 2019. This disease became a … leading food-borne bacterial infection in the region, with the younger age groups especially affected. The isolates were characterised by serotyping, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC-PCR) typing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). The main serotypes were S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Arizonae. ERIC-PCR indicated a high degree of clonality among S. Typhimurium strains, which were also multidrug-resistant and produced extended spectrum beta-lactamases. During the study period, the frequency of S. Typhimurium and S. Arizonae isolations decreased, but with the increase in S. Enteritidis and other NTS. A total of 42 NTS isolates were subjected to WGS and explored for virulence-related traits and the corresponding genetic elements. Some virulence and genetic factors were shared by all NTS serotypes, while the main differences were attributed to the serotype-specific diversity of virulence genes, SPIs, virulence plasmids, and phages. The results indicated the variability and dynamics in the epidemiology of salmonellosis and a high virulence potential of human NTS isolates circulating in the region.

Authors: Anahit Sedrakyan, Zhanna Ktsoyan, Karine Arakelova, Zaruhi Gevorgyan, Magdalina Zakharyan, Shoghik Hakobyan, Alvard Hovhannisyan, Arsen Arakelyan, Rustam Aminov

Date Published: 18th Aug 2022

Publication Type: Journal

Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases in Human Isolates of Multidrug-Resistant Non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica

Abstract (Expand)

A total of 291 non-duplicate isolates of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) were collected from the fecal samples of patients with salmonellosis in Armenia and Georgia during 1996-2016. The isolates were … tested for resistance to antimicrobials, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL). The high prevalence of multidrug-resistance (MDR) and ESBL-producer phenotypes was detected among Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) isolates collected from patients in Armenia between 1996 and 2016. A total of 36 MDR NTS isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the genetic background of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and mobile genetic elements. All ESBL-producing S. Typhimurium isolates belonged to the same sequence type (ST328). The ESBL-producer phenotype was associated with plasmid-encoded CTX-M-5 production. A range of other plasmids was associated with resistance to other antimicrobials, including the MDR phenotype.

Authors: Anahit M. Sedrakyan, Zhanna A. Ktsoyan, Karine A. Arakelova, Magdalina K. Zakharyan, Alvard I. Hovhannisyan, Zaruhi U. Gevorgyan, Armine A. Mnatsakanyan, Elene G. Kakabadze, Khatuna B. Makalatia, Nina A. Chanishvili, Jean-Paul Pirnay, Arsen A. Arakelyan, Rustam I. Aminov

Date Published: 22nd Dec 2020

Publication Type: Journal

Characterization of Salmonella Isolates from Various Geographical Regions of the Caucasus and Their Susceptibility to Bacteriophages

Abstract (Expand)

Non-typhoidal Salmonella present a major threat to animal and human health as food-borne infectious agents. We characterized 91 bacterial isolates from Armenia and Georgia in detail, using a suite of … assays including conventional microbiological methods, determining antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, serotyping (using the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor scheme) and genotyping (repetitive element sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR)). No less than 61.5% of the isolates were shown to be multidrug-resistant. A new antimicrobial treatment strategy is urgently needed. Phage therapy, the therapeutic use of (bacterio-) phages, the bacterial viruses, to treat bacterial infections, is increasingly put forward as an additional tool for combatting antibiotic resistant infections. Therefore, we used this representative set of well-characterized Salmonella isolates to analyze the therapeutic potential of eleven single phages and selected phage cocktails from the bacteriophage collection of the Eliava Institute (Georgia). All isolates were shown to be susceptible to at least one of the tested phage clones or their combinations. In addition, genome sequencing of these phages revealed them as members of existing phage genera (Felixounavirus, Seunavirus, Viunavirus and Tequintavirus) and did not show genome-based counter indications towards their applicability against non-typhoidal Salmonella in a phage therapy or in an agro-food setting.

Authors: Khatuna Makalatia, Elene Kakabadze, Jeroen Wagemans, Nino Grdzelishvili, Nata Bakuradze, Gulnara Natroshvili, Nino Macharashvili, Anahit Sedrakyan, Karine Arakelova, Zhanna Ktsoyan, Magdalina Zakharyan, Zaruhi Gevorgyan, Armine Mnatsakanyan, Farida Tishkova, Cédric Lood, Dieter Vandenheuvel, Rob Lavigne, Jean-Paul Pirnay, Daniel De Vos, Nina Chanishvili, Maia Merabishvili

Date Published: 10th Dec 2020

Publication Type: Journal

Potential Involvement of Salmonella Infection in Autoimmunity

Abstract (Expand)

In this work, we investigated the potential effects of nontyphoidal Salmonella infection on autoantibody (AA) formation. The titer and profiles of autoantibodies in the sera of patients with acute … salmonellosis due to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) or Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) infection, as well as in convalescent patients, were determined with indirect immunofluorescence. A significant increase of autoantibodies in acute diseases caused by both serotypes of Salmonella and during post infection by S. Enteritidis was detected. Antibody profile analysis by multivariate statistics revealed that this increase was non-specific and was not dependent on the infectious agent or disease stage. The results obtained suggest that nontyphoidal Salmonella infection contributes to the generation of autoantibodies and may play a role in autoimmune disease.

Authors: Zhanna Ktsoyan, Lyudmila Budaghyan, Marina Agababova, Armine Mnatsakanyan, Karine Arakelova, Zaruhi Gevorgyan, Anahit Sedrakyan, Alvard Hovhannisyan, Mkhitar Mkrtchyan, Magdalina Zakharyan, Arsen Arakelyan, Rustam Aminov

Date Published: 3rd Jul 2019

Publication Type: Journal

Selection of Potential Therapeutic Bacteriophages that Lyse a CTX-M-15 Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Strain from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract (Expand)

Recently, a Salmonella Typhi isolate producing CTX-M-15 extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and with decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility was isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We … have selected bacteriophages that show strong lytic activity against this isolate and have potential for phage-based treatment of S. Typhi, and Salmonella in general.

Authors: Elene Kakabadze, Khatuna Makalatia, Nino Grdzelishvili, Nata Bakuradze, Marina Goderdzishvili, Ia Kusradze, Marie-France Phoba, Octavie Lunguya, Cédric Lood, Rob Lavigne, Jan Jacobs, Stijn Deborggraeve, Tessa De Block, Sandra Van Puyvelde, David Lee, Aidan Coffey, Anahit Sedrakyan, Patrick Soentjens, Daniel De Vos, Jean-Paul Pirnay, Nina Chanishvili

Date Published: 3rd Apr 2018

Publication Type: Journal

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