Project description:The acquired carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase (OXA) OXA-143 has thus far been detected only in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Brazil. The aim of this study was to characterize three OXA-143 variants: OXA-231 and OXA-253 from carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates and OXA-255 in a carbapenem-susceptible Acinetobacter pittii isolate originating from Brazil, Honduras, and the United States, respectively. The 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technique identified the same transcription initiation site for all blaOXA-143-like genes and revealed differences in the putative promoter regions. However, all cloned OXA-143 variants conferred carbapenem resistance on A. baumannii ATCC 17978 and OXA-255 conferred carbapenem resistance on A. pittii SH024, which was correlated with blaOXA-255 gene expression. This is the first description of OXA-143-like outside A. baumannii. Detection of OXA-143-like in the United States and Honduras indicates its dissemination through the American continent.
Project description:Antimicrobial-resistant pathogenic bacteria are an increasing problem in public health, especially in the healthcare environment, where nosocomial infection microorganisms find their niche. Among these bacteria, the genus Acinetobacter which belongs to the ESKAPE pathogenic group harbors different multi-drug resistant (MDR) species that cause human nosocomial infections. Although A. baumannii has always attracted more interest, the close-related species A. pittii is the object of more study due to the increase in its isolation and MDR strains. In this work, we present the genomic analysis of five clinically isolated A. pittii strains from a Spanish hospital, with special attention to their genetic resistance determinants and plasmid structures. All the strains harbored different genes related to β-lactam resistance, as well as different MDR efflux pumps. We also found and described, for the first time in this species, point mutations that seem linked with colistin resistance, which highlights the relevance of this comparative analysis among the pathogenic species isolates.
Project description:Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of health care associated infections worldwide. A. pittii is an opportunistic pathogen also frequently isolated from Acinetobacter infections other than those from A. baumannii. Knowledge of Acinetobacter virulence factors and their role in pathogenesis is scarce. Also, there are no detailed published reports on the interactions between A. pittii and human phagocytic cells. Using confocal laser and scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and live-cell imaging, our study shows that immediately after bacteria-cell contact, neutrophils rapidly and continuously engulf and kill bacteria during at least 4 hours of infection in vitro. After 3 h of infection, neutrophils start to release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) against Acinetobacter. DNA in NETs colocalizes well with human histone H3 and with the specific neutrophil elastase. We have observed that human neutrophils use large filopodia as cellular tentacles to sense local environment but also to detect and retain bacteria during phagocytosis. Furthermore, co-cultivation of neutrophils with human differentiated macrophages before infections shows that human neutrophils, but not macrophages, are key immune cells to control Acinetobacter. Although macrophages were largely activated by both bacterial species, they lack the phagocytic activity demonstrated by neutrophils.
Project description:OXA-72 has been reported in few countries around the world. We report the first case in Colombia in an Acinetobacter pittii clinical isolate. The arrival of a new OXA, into a country with high endemic resistance, poses a significant threat, especially because the potential for widespread dissemination is considerable.
Project description:Acinetobacter pittii is an opportunistic pathogen frequently isolated from Acinetobacter infections other than those from Acinetobacter baumannii Multidrug resistance in A. pittii, including resistance to carbapenems, has been increasingly reported worldwide. Here, we report the 4.14-Mbp draft genome sequence of A. pittii IPK_TSA6.1 that was isolated from a nonhospital setting.
Project description:We identified the carbapenemase gene blaOXA-499, a variant of blaOXA-143, from a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter pittii for the first time. OXA-499 shared 93.1% amino acid identity with OXA-143, and the gene was located on the chromosome. By cloning the OXA-499-encoding gene into the pWH1266 vector and transforming it into susceptible Acinetobacter spp., we were able to show that OXA-499 confers resistance to carbapenems.
Project description:In this study, we describe the molecular characterization of a plasmid-located blaNDM-1 harbored by an Acinetobacter clinical isolate recovered from a patient in Turkey that putatively constitutes a novel Acinetobacter species, as shown by its distinct ARDRA (amplified 16S ribosomal DNA restriction analysis) profile and molecular sequencing techniques. blaNDM-1 was carried by a conjugative plasmid widespread among non-baumannii Acinetobacter isolates, suggesting its potential for dissemination before reaching more clinically relevant Acinetobacter species.
Project description:This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter nosocomialis and Acinetobacter pittii (ANAP). Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter spp. collected by the biennial nationwide Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance program from 2010 to 2014 were subjected to species identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PCR for detection of carbapenemase genes. Whole-genome sequencing or PCR mapping was performed to study the genetic surroundings of the carbapenemase genes. Among 1,041 Acinetobacter isolates, the proportion of ANAP increased from 11% in 2010 to 22% in 2014. The rate of carbapenem resistance in these isolates increased from 7.5% (3/40) to 22% (14/64), with a concomitant increase in their resistance to other antibiotics. The blaOXA-72 and blaOXA-58 genes were highly prevalent in carbapenem-resistant ANAP. Various genetic structures were found upstream of blaOXA-58 in different plasmids. Among the plasmids found to contain blaOXA-72 flanked by XerC/XerD, pAB-NCGM253-like was identified in 8 of 10 isolates. Conjugations of plasmids carrying blaOXA-72 or blaOXA-58 to A. baumannii were successful. In addition, three isolates with chromosome-located blaOXA-23 embedded in AbGRI1-type structure with disruption of genes other than comM were detected. Two highly similar plasmids carrying class I integron containing blaIMP-1 and aminoglycoside resistance genes were also found. The universal presence of blaOXA-272/213-like on A. pittii chromosomes and their lack of contribution to carbapenem resistance indicate its potential to be a marker for species identification. The increase of ANAP, along with their diverse mechanisms of carbapenem resistance, may herald their further spread and warrants close monitoring.
Project description:Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter pittii (CRAP) is a causative agent of nosocomial infections. This study aimed to characterize clinical isolates of CRAP from a tertiary hospital in Northeast Thailand. Six isolates were confirmed as extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter pittii (XDRAP). The blaNDM-1 gene was detected in three isolates, whereas blaIMP-14 and blaIMP-1 were detected in the others. Multilocus sequence typing with the Pasteur scheme revealed ST220 in two isolates, ST744 in two isolates, and ST63 and ST396 for the remaining two isolates, respectively. Genomic characterization revealed that six XDRAP genes contained antimicrobial resistance genes: ST63 (A436) and ST396 (A1) contained 10 antimicrobial resistance genes, ST220 (A984 and A864) and ST744 (A56 and A273) contained 9 and 8 antimicrobial resistance genes, respectively. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) phylogenetic tree revealed that the isolates A984 and A864 were closely related to A. pittii YB-45 (ST220) from China, while A436 was related to A. pittii WCHAP100020, also from China. A273 and A56 isolates (ST744) were clustered together; these isolates were closely related to strains 2014S07-126, AP43, and WCHAP005069, which were isolated from Taiwan and China. Strict implementation of infection control based upon the framework of epidemiological analyses is essential to prevent outbreaks and contain the spread of the pathogen. Continued surveillance and close monitoring with molecular epidemiological tools are needed.