Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39616999›Full record

ArticleMedical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre2025

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Brucella melitensis Isolates from Kuwait for the Identification of Biovars, Variants, and Relationship within a Biovar.

Abu Salim Mustafa, Mohd Wasif Khan, Nazima Habibi, Wadha Alfouzan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Genomic phylogenetic characterization ofBiosafety and health · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Abu Salim MustafaDepartment of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait.
Mohd Wasif KhanOMICS Research Unit and Research Core Facility, College of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait.
Nazima HabibiBiotechnology Program, Environment and Life Science Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Wadha AlfouzanDepartment of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe identification of Brucella genotypes is essential for epidemiological studies. The whole-genome sequencing is emerging as a novel tool for genetic characterization of infectious microbes. The aim of this study was to genotype Brucella melitensis isolates from Kuwait using whole-genome sequencing and variant analysis of the sequence data.

methodsDNA was purified from 15 heat-inactivated B. melitensis isolates and used to prepare sequencing libraries employing Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina San Diego, CA, USA) and sequenced on a MiSeq (Illumina). The sequence files were aligned to three biovars of B. melitensis, i.e., biovar 1 str. 16M, biovar 2 str. 63/9, and biovar 3 str. Ether. The alignment and variant calling were performed using "bwa-mem" and SAMtools/VCFtools, respectively.

resultsThe genome size of all the isolates was around 3.3 mega base pairs and resembled B. melitensis biovar 2. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions, and deletions (indels) were spread all over the genome; but 138 SNPs were common among the 14 isolates, supporting the same ancestral origin. A neighbor-joining tree analysis identified isolate 2 as an outlier. In addition, SNPs (2-478) specific to each isolate were also identified, which divided the B. melitensis biovar 2 into two major groups/genotypes. A further analysis showed that the Kuwaiti isolates of the present study shared phylogeny mainly with strains from the Middle Eastern countries.

conclusionsAmong the 15 studied isolates from Kuwait, biovar 2 is the most prevalent biovar of B. melitensis. Furthermore, isolate-specific genetic variations were identified, which may be useful in epidemiological investigations.

objectiveThe identification of Brucella genotypes is essential for epidemiological studies. The whole-genome sequencing is emerging as a novel tool for genetic characterization of infectious microbes. The aim of this study was to genotype Brucella melitensis isolates from Kuwait using whole-genome sequencing and variant analysis of the sequence data.

methodsDNA was purified from 15 heat-inactivated B. melitensis isolates and used to prepare sequencing libraries employing Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina San Diego, CA, USA) and sequenced on a MiSeq (Illumina). The sequence files were aligned to three biovars of B. melitensis, i.e., biovar 1 str. 16M, biovar 2 str. 63/9, and biovar 3 str. Ether. The alignment and variant calling were performed using "bwa-mem" and SAMtools/VCFtools, respectively.

resultsThe genome size of all the isolates was around 3.3 mega base pairs and resembled B. melitensis biovar 2. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions, and deletions (indels) were spread all over the genome; but 138 SNPs were common among the 14 isolates, supporting the same ancestral origin. A neighbor-joining tree analysis identified isolate 2 as an outlier. In addition, SNPs (2-478) specific to each isolate were also identified, which divided the B. melitensis biovar 2 into two major groups/genotypes. A further analysis showed that the Kuwaiti isolates of the present study shared phylogeny mainly with strains from the Middle Eastern countries.

conclusionsAmong the 15 studied isolates from Kuwait, biovar 2 is the most prevalent biovar of B. melitensis. Furthermore, isolate-specific genetic variations were identified, which may be useful in epidemiological investigations.

Indexed as

Brucella melitensisBrucellosisWhole Genome SequencingAnimalsDNA, BacterialGenome, BacterialGenotypeHumansKuwaitPolymorphism, Single NucleotideDNA, BacterialBrucella melitensisGenome characterizationGenotypesWhole genome sequencing

Identifiers

PMID39616999
PMCPMC11936451

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.