Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing Elucidates the Mechanisms of Amikacin Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Isolates Obtained from COVID-19 Patients
<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is a Gram-negative, encapsulated, non-motile bacterium, which represents a global challenge to public health as one of the major causes of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. In the recent decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) noticed a critical...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Published: |
MDPI AG,
2022-10-01T00:00:00Z.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to this object online. |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is a Gram-negative, encapsulated, non-motile bacterium, which represents a global challenge to public health as one of the major causes of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. In the recent decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) noticed a critically increasing rate of carbapenem-resistant <i>K. pneumoniae</i> occurrence in hospitals. The situation with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria further worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to an increasing number of patients in intensive care units (ICU) and extensive, while often inappropriate, use of antibiotics including carbapenems. In order to elucidate the ways and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance spreading within the <i>K. pneumoniae</i> population, whole genome sequencing (WGS) seems to be a promising approach, and long-read sequencing is especially useful for the investigation of mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic resistance genes, such as plasmids. We have performed short- and long read sequencing of three carbapenem-resistant <i>K. pneumoniae</i> isolates obtained from COVID-19 patients in a dedicated ICU of a multipurpose medical center, which belonged to the same clone according to cgMLST analysis, in order to understand the differences in their resistance profiles. We have revealed the presence of a small plasmid carrying <i>aph(3')-VIa</i> gene providing resistance to amikacin in one of these isolates, which corresponded perfectly to its phenotypic resistance profile. We believe that the results obtained will facilitate further elucidating of antibiotic resistance mechanisms for this important pathogen, and highlight the need for continuous genomic epidemiology surveillance of clinical <i>K. pneumoniae</i> isolates. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | 10.3390/antibiotics11101364 2079-6382 |