Publications by authors named "Leo Schouls"

Article Synopsis
  • Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are a major public health concern, and understanding their genomic characteristics is vital for monitoring and controlling infections.
  • This study focuses on the use of long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to analyze the molecular profiles of 356 MDRO isolates, including various bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
  • Results showed that long-read sequencing provides comparable molecular data to short-read sequencing, with high consistency in multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST) profiles, though some differences were noted in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Background: Although the Netherlands is a country with a low endemic level, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant health care problem. Therefore, high coverage national MRSA surveillance has been in place since 1989. To monitor possible changes in the type-distribution and emergence of resistance and virulence, MRSA isolates are molecularly characterized.

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In this study, we determined the presence of virulence factors in nonoutbreak, high-risk clones and other isolates belonging to less common sequence types associated with the spread of OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from The Netherlands ( = 61) and Spain ( = 53). Most isolates shared a chromosomally encoded core of virulence factors, including the enterobactin gene cluster, fimbrial and gene clusters, and urea metabolism genes (). We observed a high diversity of K-Locus and K/O loci combinations, KL17 and KL24 (both 16%), and the O1/O2v1 locus (51%) being the most prevalent in our study.

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Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections impose a considerable burden on health systems, yet there is remarkable variation in the global incidence and epidemiology of MRSA. The MACOTRA consortium aimed to identify bacterial markers of epidemic success of MRSA isolates in Europe using a representative MRSA collection originating from France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Methods: Operational definitions of success were defined in consortium meetings to compose a balanced strain collection of successful and sporadic MRSA isolates.

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Objectives: MRSA carrying the mecC gene (mecC-MRSA) have been found in humans and animals worldwide. A high carriage rate of mecC-MRSA has been described among hedgehogs in different countries. We performed genomic comparison of mecC-MRSA from hedgehogs and humans using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to investigate possible zoonotic transmission in the Netherlands.

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In this retrospective observational study, we analysed a community outbreak of impetigo with meticillin-resistant (MRSA), with additional resistance to fusidic acid (first-line treatment). The outbreak occurred between June 2018 and January 2020 in the eastern part of the Netherlands with an epidemiological link to three cases from the north-western part. Forty nine impetigo cases and eight carrier cases were identified, including 47 children.

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Objectives: While Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant (LA-MRSA), defined as CC398, is a well-known pathogen among those working with livestock, there are indications that LA-MRSA prevalence among the general population is increasing. However, the clinical impact in urban areas remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic epidemiology and clinical characteristics of LA-MRSA in an urban area with a limited livestock population.

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Background: Although the Netherlands is a country with a low endemic level of methicillin-resistant (MRSA), a national MRSA surveillance has been in place since 1989. In 2003 livestock emerged as a major reservoir of MRSA and currently livestock-associated MRSA (clonal complex CC398) make up 25% of all surveillance isolates. To assess possible transfer of resistant strains or resistance genes, MRSA obtained from humans and animals were characterized in detail.

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Objectives: A recent occurrence of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter ursingii was reported in the Netherlands and comprised three unrelated strains carrying the bla and bla encoding genes. The objective was to investigate a putative common source of the carbapenemase resistance genes and plasmids in these A. ursingii strains.

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Staphylococcus argenteus is a recently described member of the Staphylococcus aureus complex (SAC) and is associated with human disease. The frequency and intensity of infections caused by are similar to those of Staphylococcus aureus. can harbor antibiotic resistance genes and a variety of virulence factors analogous to methicillin-resistant S.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A study involving 22 Dutch laboratories analyzed 72 pairs of colistin-resistant (COLR-EK) and colistin-susceptible (COLS-EK) bacterial isolates, revealing that 21% of COLR-EK patients had previously received colistin treatment.
  • * While colistin resistance remains relatively rare in the Netherlands, some isolates showed genetic mutations linked to resistance, highlighting a need for ongoing monitoring and testing practices.
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Background: The Netherlands is currently considered a low endemic country for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), experiencing only sporadic hospital outbreaks. This study aims to describe susceptibility to carbapenems and the epidemiology of carbapenemase production in Enterobacterales in the Netherlands in 2017-2019.

Methods: Three complementary nationwide surveillance systems are in place to monitor carbapenem susceptibility in the Netherlands.

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Multinational surveillance programmes for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are dependent on national structures for data collection. This study aimed to capture the diversity of national MRSA surveillance programmes and to propose a framework for harmonisation of MRSA surveillance. The International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) MRSA Working Group conducted a structured survey on MRSA surveillance programmes and organised a webinar to discuss the programmes' strengths and challenges as well as guidelines for harmonisation.

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Verona Integron-encoded Metallo-beta-lactamase (VIM) is the most frequently-encountered carbapenemase in the healthcare-related pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the Netherlands, a low-endemic country for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, no national surveillance data on the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa (CPPA) was available.

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To define sensitivity and specificity of Vitek 2 MICs as phenotypic screening method for carbapenemase-producing . We determined Vitek 2 MICs of antipseudomonal antimicrobials in 130 unrelated carbapenemase-producing and 129 carbapenemase-negative isolates within a Dutch carbapenemase-surveillance database. We calculated test characteristics of single and combined antimicrobial MICs for carbapenemase production.

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Background: Carbapenemases produced by Enterobacterales are often encoded by genes on transferable plasmids and represent a major healthcare problem, especially if the plasmids contain additional antibiotic resistance genes. As part of Dutch national surveillance, 50 medical microbiological laboratories submit their Enterobacterales isolates suspected of carbapenemase production to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment for characterization. All isolates for which carbapenemase production is confirmed are subjected to next-generation sequencing.

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Carbapenem-hydrolysing enzymes belonging to the OXA-48-like group are encoded by -like alleles and are abundant among in the Netherlands. Therefore, the objective here was to investigate the characteristics, gene content and diversity of the -like carrying plasmids and chromosomes of and collected in the Dutch national surveillance from 2014 to 2019 in comparison with genome sequences from 29 countries. A combination of short-read genome sequencing with long-read sequencing enabled the reconstruction of 47 and 132 complete -like plasmids for and , respectively.

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Genome sequences provide information on the genetic elements present in an organism, and currently there are databases containing hundreds of thousands of bacterial genome sequences. These repositories allow for mining patterns concerning antibiotic resistance gene occurrence in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria in e.g.

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Objectives: Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) may act as a reservoir of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) for hospitals and the general population. In this study, we estimated the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of rectal carriage with ESBL-E and CPE in residents of Dutch LTCFs between March 2018 and December 2018.

Methods: LTCFs were geographically selected across the country.

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Article Synopsis
  • Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae has become a significant hospital-acquired pathogen, leading to increased illness and death, necessitating close monitoring of its spread and genetic diversity among patients.
  • The study aimed to analyze and track the genetic makeup of K. pneumoniae strains with a specific beta-lactamase gene (bla) in the Netherlands and former Dutch Caribbean islands from 2014 to 2019 using advanced sequencing techniques.
  • Findings revealed distinct genetic clusters and variations in plasmids, indicating different antibiotic resistance and virulence characteristics, particularly highlighting the transmission of a specific strain (KpnCluster-019 bla) between regions.
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Increased carbapenem resistance is often caused by carbapenemase production.. The objective of our study was to assess which antibiotic susceptibility patterns, as tested by automated systems, are highly associated with the absence of carbapenemase production in isolates, and could therefore be used as a screening tool.

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In 1993, a serotype b (Hib) conjugate vaccine was introduced in the Dutch national immunization program, resulting in a sharp decrease in invasive Hib disease. We used a population-based set of serum samples collected in the Netherlands in 2006-2007 (Pienter-II, 5696 sera) to assess the concentration of antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide of Hib, and compared the results with those obtained from a similar set collected in 1995-1996 (Pienter-I, 7837 sera). Post-primary vaccination serum samples from children aged 6-11 months from the Pienter-II study contained approximately 4-fold lower anti-Hib antibody concentrations than samples from children from the Pienter-I study.

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Analysis of sequencing data for 143 - and -positive isolates from 13 European national collections and the public domain resulted in the identification of 15 previously undetected multi-country transmission clusters. For 10 clusters, cases had prior travel/hospitalisation history in countries outside of the European Union including Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Russia, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey. These findings highlight the benefit of European whole genome sequencing-based surveillance and data sharing for control of antimicrobial resistance.

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