Myroides species, pathogenic spectrum and clinical microbiology sight in Mexican isolates

by Claudia Adriana Colín-Castro, Jossue Mizael Ortiz-Álvarez, Cindy Fabiola Hernández-Pérez, Melissa Hernández-Durán, María de Lourdes García-Hernández, María Guadalupe Martínez-Zavaleta, Noé Becerra-Lobato, Mercedes Isabel Cervantes-Hernández, Graciela Rosas-Alquicira, Guillermo Cerón-González, Braulio Josué Méndez-Sotelo, Rodolfo García-Contreras, Rafael Franco-Cendejas, Luis Esaú López-Jácome

Myroides is a bacterial genus of opportunistic bacteria responsible for diverse infections including in the skin and soft tissues, urinary tract, cardiovascular system, and bacteremia, although the incidence of its reported infections is low, it is increasing, likely due the use of better bacterial identification methods, but also perhaps due an increase in its prevalence. In addition, their pathogenic role is limited in terms of reporting their microbial physiology, so the present work provides information in this regard in addition to the information that is available in the international literature.

To describe the microbiological and genetic characteristics of seven different Myroides spp. clinical strains and comment on their phylum, pathogenic and resistance characteristics.

Seven Myroides spp., strains associated with infections were included from 1/January/2012 to 1/January/20 and identified by miniaturized biochemistry and MALDI-ToF. Susceptibility tests were performed according to CLSI recommendations by broth microdilution. Whole genome sequencing was performed for each strain and bioinformatics analysis were performed.

Strains were identified at genus level by two methodologies. Our results revealed that likely four strains belong to the species Myroides odoratimimus, while the other two may be undescribed ones. Remarkably, all isolates harbored several genes encoding antibiotic resistance determinants for ß-lactams, aminoglycosides and glycopeptides and in concordance, presented high levels of resistance, against these antibiotics (AK and GN both 100%, ATM, CAZ and FEP 100%, e.g.); moreover, the presences of carbapenemases were evidenced by meropenem (mCIM) and imipenem (CARBA NP) degrading activity in six isolates and two strains possessed plasmids harboring mainly ribosomal RNA genes, tRNAs and genes encoding proteins with unknown functions.

Our study increases the knowledge about the biology of this understudied genus and highlights the potential of Myroides to emerge as a broader cause of recalcitrant opportunistic infections.