Comparative Genome Analysis of Canine Frederiksenia canicola Isolates

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The One Health approach is crucial for managing and controlling the spread of antimicrobial resistance. <i>Frederiksenia canicola</i> is a recently identified bacterial species that seems to be a component of the oral microbiota of dogs; however, its pathogenic nature is questionable. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, the antibacterial susceptibility of <i>F. canicola</i> isolates was determined using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Genome-wide comparative analyses were performed to identify the genetic factors driving virulence and antimicrobial drug resistance (e.g., virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and prophage-related sequences). <b>Results</b>: Most of the <i>F. canicola</i> isolates lacked virulence-associated genes. <i>F. canicola</i> is likely resistant to clindamycin, lincomycin and neomycin, but susceptible to penicillin, erythromycin and enrofloxacin. Antimicrobial resistance genes were not found in the <i>F. canicola</i> genomes, but prophage-related sequences were identified, suggesting its potential in the transfer of genes associated with drug resistance between bacteria in the oral microbiome. <b>Conclusions</b>: <i>F. canicola</i> is presumably a commensal organism with low virulence potential, as evidenced by the absence of virulence-associated genes. As <i>F. canicola</i> can colonize a wide range of hosts, including humans, further investigation with a greater number of isolates is needed to better understand the role of <i>F. canicola</i> in disease development and the spread of drug resistance.