Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States
Buruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic and debilitating skin disease caused by the environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU). The primary virulence determinant is mycolactone, a cytotoxic lipid compound unique to MU and its other mycolactone producing mycobacteria (MPM) ecological variants. Althou...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2521853 |
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| author | Magdalene Dogbe Cody Roberts Kayla M. Fast Alex W. Rakestraw Joseph P. Receveur Katherine Yoskowitz Jennifer L. Pechal Michael W. Sandel Christine Chevillon Jean-François Guégan Mark E. Benbow Heather R. Jordan |
| author_facet | Magdalene Dogbe Cody Roberts Kayla M. Fast Alex W. Rakestraw Joseph P. Receveur Katherine Yoskowitz Jennifer L. Pechal Michael W. Sandel Christine Chevillon Jean-François Guégan Mark E. Benbow Heather R. Jordan |
| author_sort | Magdalene Dogbe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Buruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic and debilitating skin disease caused by the environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU). The primary virulence determinant is mycolactone, a cytotoxic lipid compound unique to MU and its other mycolactone producing mycobacteria (MPM) ecological variants. Although BU prevalence is highest in West Africa and Australia, little is known about MU and other MPM distribution in non-endemic regions such as the Southeastern United States (US). In this study, environmental samples (water filtrand, plant biofilm, soil, aquatic invertebrates) were collected from nine freshwater sites across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama over three sampling periods (August 2020, November 2020, March 2021). Samples were screened for MU and MPM presence and abundance by PCR and genotyped using variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) profiling. All nine sites were positive for MU or other MPM DNA in at least one substrate, except invertebrates. Overall, mean concentrations were 4.3 × 104 genome units (GU)/sample in August 2020, 1.26 GU/sample in November 2020, and 55.5 GU/sample in March 2021. Profiling by VNTR identified four MU (designated A-D) and one M. liflandii genotype(s), among environmental samples, with genotype frequencies varying by site and sampling time. Detection of MU and M. liflandii genotypes in Southeastern US aquatic environments, matching those from BU endemic regions, provides rationale for ongoing surveillance. Our findings broaden the known geographic range of MU and MPMs and offer baseline data to help predict and prevent and predict the possibility of zoonotic transmission in Southeastern US. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-21354d989bcc475bb362fa3d691663d3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2222-1751 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| spelling | doaj-art-21354d989bcc475bb362fa3d691663d32025-08-20T02:43:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512025-12-0114110.1080/22221751.2025.2521853Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United StatesMagdalene Dogbe0Cody Roberts1Kayla M. Fast2Alex W. Rakestraw3Joseph P. Receveur4Katherine Yoskowitz5Jennifer L. Pechal6Michael W. Sandel7Christine Chevillon8Jean-François Guégan9Mark E. Benbow10Heather R. Jordan11Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USADepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USADepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, The University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL, USADepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USADepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USADepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USADepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USAMIVEGEC, UMR CNRS, IRD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, FranceMIVEGEC, UMR CNRS, IRD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, FranceDepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USABuruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic and debilitating skin disease caused by the environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU). The primary virulence determinant is mycolactone, a cytotoxic lipid compound unique to MU and its other mycolactone producing mycobacteria (MPM) ecological variants. Although BU prevalence is highest in West Africa and Australia, little is known about MU and other MPM distribution in non-endemic regions such as the Southeastern United States (US). In this study, environmental samples (water filtrand, plant biofilm, soil, aquatic invertebrates) were collected from nine freshwater sites across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama over three sampling periods (August 2020, November 2020, March 2021). Samples were screened for MU and MPM presence and abundance by PCR and genotyped using variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) profiling. All nine sites were positive for MU or other MPM DNA in at least one substrate, except invertebrates. Overall, mean concentrations were 4.3 × 104 genome units (GU)/sample in August 2020, 1.26 GU/sample in November 2020, and 55.5 GU/sample in March 2021. Profiling by VNTR identified four MU (designated A-D) and one M. liflandii genotype(s), among environmental samples, with genotype frequencies varying by site and sampling time. Detection of MU and M. liflandii genotypes in Southeastern US aquatic environments, matching those from BU endemic regions, provides rationale for ongoing surveillance. Our findings broaden the known geographic range of MU and MPMs and offer baseline data to help predict and prevent and predict the possibility of zoonotic transmission in Southeastern US.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2521853Mycobacterium ulceransMycobacterium liflandiimycolactone-producing mycobacteriaBuruli UlcerLouisianaAlabama |
| spellingShingle | Magdalene Dogbe Cody Roberts Kayla M. Fast Alex W. Rakestraw Joseph P. Receveur Katherine Yoskowitz Jennifer L. Pechal Michael W. Sandel Christine Chevillon Jean-François Guégan Mark E. Benbow Heather R. Jordan Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States Emerging Microbes and Infections Mycobacterium ulcerans Mycobacterium liflandii mycolactone-producing mycobacteria Buruli Ulcer Louisiana Alabama |
| title | Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States |
| title_full | Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States |
| title_fullStr | Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States |
| title_short | Spatiotemporal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern United States |
| title_sort | spatiotemporal distribution of mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone producing mycobacteria in southeastern united states |
| topic | Mycobacterium ulcerans Mycobacterium liflandii mycolactone-producing mycobacteria Buruli Ulcer Louisiana Alabama |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2521853 |
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