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ABSTRACT: Background
Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) co-producing blaKPC and blaNDM poses a serious threat to public health. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the resistance and virulence of CR-hvKP isolates collected from a Chinese hospital, with a focus on blaKPC and blaNDM dual-positive hvKP strains.Methods
Five CR-hvKP strains were isolated from a teaching hospital in China. Antimicrobial susceptibility and plasmid stability testing, plasmid conjugation, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were performed to examine the mechanisms of resistance and virulence. The virulence of CR-hvKP was evaluated through serum-killing assay and Galleria mellonella lethality experiments. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16 highly homologous carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) producing KPC-2 isolates from the same hospital was conducted to elucidate the potential evolutionary pathway of CRKP co-producing NDM and KPC.Results
WGS revealed that five isolates individually carried three unique plasmids: an IncFIB/IncHI1B-type virulence plasmid, IncFII/IncR-type plasmid harboring KPC-2 and IncC-type plasmid harboring NDM-1. The conjugation test results indicated that the transference of KPC-2 harboring IncFII/IncR-type plasmid was unsuccessful on their own, but could be transferred by forming a hybrid plasmid with the IncC plasmid harboring NDM. Further genetic analysis confirmed that the pJNKPN26-KPC plasmid was entirely integrated into the IncC-type plasmid via the copy-in route, which was mediated by TnAs1 and IS26.Conclusion
KPC-NDM-CR-hvKP likely evolved from a KPC-2-CRKP ancestor and later acquired a highly transferable blaNDM-1 plasmid. ST11-KL64 CRKP exhibited enhanced plasticity. The identification of KPC-2-NDM-1-CR-hvKP highlights the urgent need for effective preventive strategies against aggravated accumulation of resistance genes.
SUBMITTER: Wang Q
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10981300 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Wang Qian Q Liu Yue Y Chen Ran R Zhang Meng M Si Zaifeng Z Wang Yueling Y Jin Yan Y Bai Yuanyuan Y Song Zhen Z Lu Xinglun X Hao Mingju M Hao Yingying Y
Annals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials 20240329 1
<h4>Background</h4>Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) co-producing bla<sub>KPC</sub> and bla<sub>NDM</sub> poses a serious threat to public health. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the resistance and virulence of CR-hvKP isolates collected from a Chinese hospital, with a focus on bla<sub>KPC</sub> and bla<sub>NDM</sub> dual-positive hvKP strains.<h4>Methods</h4>Five CR-hvKP strains were isolated from a teaching hospital in China. Antimicro ...[more]