Comparative genomic analysis reveals conserved virulence genes in dolphin-isolated Aeromonas dhakensis, suggesting shared pathogenic mechanisms across marine hosts.
Aeromonas dhakensis has emerged as a significant pathogen affecting both aquatic animals and humans; however, genomic data for isolates from marine mammals remain scarce. In this study, we characterised the genome of A. dhakensis strain KDL‐001, isolated from a fatal dolphin case, using whole‐genome sequencing and comparative genomics. Taxonomic analyses, including MLST and average nucleotide identity (ANI), confirmed the isolate as A. dhakensis . Core‐genome phylogeny further revealed that KDL‐001 is closely related to strains derived from fish and aquatic environments. Notably, in silico screening of virulence‐associated genes showed that the virulence‐associated gene profile of the dolphin isolate was broadly comparable to those of other A. dhakensis strains, with no isolate‐specific virulence‐associated genes being identified within the limits of this analysis. These findings demonstrate that the dolphin‐derived isolate is genomically comparable to previously described A. dhakensis strains and possesses conserved virulence‐associated genes commonly found within the species.
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