Genomic characterization of spp. isolates from striped catfish with motile septicemia and human bloodstream infections in Vietnam.

spp. are commonly found in the aquatic environment and have been responsible for motile septicemia (MAS) in striped catfish, resulting in significant economic loss. These organisms also cause a range of opportunistic infections in humans with compromised immune systems. Here, we conducted a genomic investigation of 87 isolates derived from diseased catfish, healthy catfish and environmental water in catfish farms affected by MAS outbreaks in eight provinces in Mekong Delta (years: 2012-2022), together with 25 isolates from humans with bloodstream infections (years: 2010-2020). Genomics-based typing method precisely delineated species while traditional methods such as PCR and MALDI-TOF were unable identify was found to be more prevalent than in both diseased catfish and human infections. sequence type (ST) 656 followed by ST251 were the predominant virulent species-lineages in diseased catfish (43.7 and 20.7 %, respectively), while diverse STs were found in humans with bloodstream infections. There was evidence of widespread transmission of ST656 and ST251 on striped catfish in the Mekong Delta region. ST656 and ST251 isolates carried a significantly higher number of acquired antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and virulence factors in comparison to other STs. They, however, exhibited several distinctions in key virulence factors (i.e. lack of type IV pili and enterotoxin in ), AMR genes (i.e. presence of carbapenemase in ), and accessory gene content. To uncover potential conserved proteins of spp. for vaccine development, pangenome analysis has unveiled 2202 core genes between ST656 and ST251, of which 78 proteins were in either outer membrane or extracellular proteins. Our study represents one of the first genomic investigations of the species distribution, genetic landscape, and epidemiology of in diseased catfish and human infections in Vietnam. The emergence of antimicrobial resistant and virulent strains underscores the needs of enhanced genomic surveillance and strengthening vaccine research and development in preventing diseases in catfish and humans, and the search for potential vaccine candidates could focus on core genes encoded for membrane and secreted proteins.