Lineage ST62/87: The International Spread of This Potentially Invasive Lineage.

is known to be associated with a variety of infections, from pharyngitis to necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease). of the ST62/87 lineage is recognized as one of the most frequently isolated lineages of invasive infections caused by this bacterium, which may be involved in hospital outbreaks and cluster infections. Despite this, comparative genomic and phylogenomic studies have not yet been carried out for this lineage. Thus, its virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles are mostly unknown, as are the genetic relationships and evolutionary traits involving this lineage. Previously, a strain of ST62/87 (37-97) was characterized in our lab for its ability to generate antibiotic-persistent cells, and therapeutic failure in severe invasive infections caused by this bacterial species is well-reported in the scientific literature. In this work, we analyzed genomic and phylogenomic characteristics and evaluated the virulence and resistance profiles of ST62/87 from Brazil and international sources. Here we show that strains that form this lineage (ST62/87) are internationally spread, involved in invasive outbreaks, and share important virulence profiles with the most common types of , such as 1, 3, 12, and 69, which are associated with most invasive infections caused by this bacterial species in the USA and Europe. Accordingly, the continued increase of ST62/87 in severe diseases should not be underestimated.