Genomic characterization of Vibrio cholerae strains from Yemen 2018-2019

This study presents the genome sequences of Vibrio cholerae strains from Yemen during the 2018-2019 period and subcultured at the Institut Pasteur (Paris, France). Two main genotypes were identified among the 21 strains. Fifteen strains are serogroup O1 V. cholerae of the wave 3 of the seventh pandemic El-Tor (7PET) lineage, sublineage T13 (7PET-T13). The nine 7PET-T13 strains that were isolated in Yemen in 2019 all carry the 140-kb IncC plasmid pCNRVC190243, which contains the 20-kb pseudo-compound transposon (PCT) YemVchMDRI, providing them with resistance to macrolide, sulphonamide and cephalosporin drugs; the six 7PET-T13 strains isolated in 2018 do not carry the plasmid. The six other strains are non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae of the sequence type (ST) 555, all isolated in Yemen in 2018. These ST555 strains all carry the 20-kb multi-drug resistance PCT YemVchMDRI, inserted in their second chromosome, also providing them with resistance to macrolide, sulphonamide and cephalosporin drugs.