A multidrug resistant Klebsiella oxytoca ST2 strain harboring a blaKPC-2 plasmid disseminates amongst colonized patients

A. C. LEGUINA; C. A. KNECHT; A. S. GAMBINO; L. C. CARRERA PÁEZ

Congreso; International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS); 2022

Within the genus Klebsiella, Klebsiella oxytoca Complex (KOC) is the second most found in hospitals after K. pneumoniae. KOC is able to exchange antimicrobial resistance genes with other bacteria leading to hospital outbreaks. Class A KPC and class B metallo-β-lactamase carbapenemases have been detected in KOC. Carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) belong to the highest priority group of the World Health Organization. The aim of this work was to determine the resistome as well as genetic platforms and plasmids involved in the dissemination of carbapenem resistance in three multidrug resistant (MDR) carbapenem resistant K. oxytoca colonizing isolates obtained from three patients from Argentina. Whole-Genome sequencing was performed using Illumina MiSeq-I, Genomic assembly and annotation were done using SPAdes and RAST, respectively. In silico detection of multi locus sequence typing (MLST), plasmids, resistance genes and their genetic platforms was carried out. The three isolates were identified as K. oxytoca sequence type ST2. The genome analysis revealed that all isolates carried multiple acquired antimicrobial resistance genes including the blaKPC-2 gene. which was part of a Tn3-like element. The plasmids predicted belonged to the IncFII(K) that carries the blaKPC-2 gene, Col(pHAD28) and IncM1 incompatibility groups. These results evidence the presence of MDR KPC-producing KOC ST2 for the first time in hospitals from Latin America and the importance of surveillance programs to prevent eventual outbreaks due to this ST that it is worldwide spreading.