Resistome and virulome diversity of foodborne pathogens isolated from artisanal food production chain of animal origin in the Mediterranean region.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the resistome and virulome diversity of 43 isolates of , and collected from artisanal fermented meat and dairy products and their production environments in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Morocco. After DNA extraction, genomes were sequenced, and assembled. Genetic relationships among genomes were investigated by SNP calling and in silico 7- loci MLST. Genomes of the same species belonged to different ST-types demonstrating the circulation of different clones in in the same artisanal production plant. One specific clone included genomes of . Paratyphi B belonging to ST43 and repeatedly isolated for more than a year in an artisanal sausage production plant. No genomes but three (belonging to ), were predicted as multiresistant to different antimicrobials classes. Regarding virulence, genomes of belonging to ST1, ST3 and ST489, as well as genomes of (ST43, ST33, ST314, ST3667, ST1818, ST198) and ST121 were predicted as virulent and hypervirulent. The occurrence of virulent and hypervirulent and strains in artisanal fermented meat and dairy productions as well as in their finished products suggests the need for a specific focus on prevention and control measures able to reduce the risk of these biological hazards in artisanal food productions.