Sequencing and phylogenetic characterization of Brucella canis isolates, Ohio, 2016.

Brucella canis is one of zoonotic pathogens causing infection in human. In this study, we isolated and sequenced 38 B. canis strains from 11 cases. Core genome multilocus sequence typing analysis classified all B. canis isolates into two genogroups, GI and GII. All 38 isolates cluster together forming a 2016 Ohio cluster, in which they form five subclusters reflecting their geographical differences. Unlike GI, the isolates of the GII are from diverse geographical locations including Asia, America, Africa, and Europe and form Asia and South America clusters. Overall, our findings could be useful to investigate and track B. canis of future outbreaks.