Genomic identification of the emerging multidrug-resistant Salmonella
Virchow monophasic variant causing septic arthritis of the knee joint
Abstract
In this study, a 4-year-old girl presented with a case of septic
arthritis and fever. Salmonella was isolated from her knee effusion and
feces; isolates were confirmed to be a novel S. Virchow monophasic
variant (Salmonella 6,7,14:r:-) based on core genome MLST (cgMLST),
CRISPR typing combined with analysis of the fljAB operon. Whole-genome
sequencing analysis revealed that replacement of the fljAB operon by a
4.8 kb cassette from E. coli caused the nonexpression of phase-2
flagellar antigen in S. Virchow monophasic variant. Additionally, the
acquisition of Salmonella genomic island 2 (SGI2) with an antimicrobial
resistance gene cassette enabled the isolates to be multidrug-resistant
(MDR) to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, trimethoprim, and
sulfamethoxazole. The emerging of MDR S. Virchow monophasic variant
causing human infection should be concerned in the national Salmonella
surveillance system.