Probable Three-Species In Vivo Transfer of <i>bla</i>_NDM-1 in a Single Patient in Greece: Occurrence of NDM-1-Producing <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Proteus mirabilis</i>, and <i>Morganella morganii</i>

• Main Authors: Georgios Meletis (Author), Andigoni Malousi (Author), Areti Tychala (Author), Angeliki Kassomenaki (Author), Nikoletta Vlachodimou (Author), Paraskevi Mantzana (Author), Simeon Metallidis (Author), Lemonia Skoura (Author), Efthymia Protonotariou (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2023-07-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

NDM carbapenemase-encoding genes disseminate commonly among Enterobacterales through transferable plasmids carrying additional resistance determinants. Apart from the intra-species dissemination, the inter-species exchange of plasmids seems to play an additional important role in the spread of <i>bla</i>_NDM. We here present the genetics related to the isolation of three species (<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Proteus mirabilis</i>, and <i>Morganella morganii</i>) harboring the <i>bla</i>_NDM-1 gene from a single patient in Greece. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using the Vitek2. Whole genome sequencing and bioinformatic tools were used to identify resistance genes and plasmids. <i>Bla</i>_NDM-1 harboring plasmids were found in all three isolates. Moreover, the plasmid constructs of the respective incomplete or circular contigs showed that the <i>bla</i>_NDM-1 and its neighboring genes form a cluster that was found in all isolates. Our microbiological findings, together with the patient's history, suggest the in vivo transfer of the <i>bla</i>_NDM-1-containing cluster through three different species in a single patient.

Item Description

10.3390/antibiotics12071206
2079-6382