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Regional dissemination of KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

Brandon Kitchel1, Daniel R Sundin, Jean B Patel

  • 1Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. bkitchel@cdc.gov

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|August 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Two Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing isolates were identified in western Michigan. These carbapenem-resistant bacteria are genetically distinct from the common U.S. strain, suggesting regional spread.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Carbapenem resistance is a growing global health threat.
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) is the most prevalent carbapenem resistance mechanism in the United States.
  • KPC-producing K. pneumoniae had not previously been reported in western Michigan.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the first detection of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae in western Michigan.
  • To characterize the molecular features of these novel isolates.
  • To assess their relationship to other known KPC-producing strains.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and identification of K. pneumoniae.
  • Detection of carbapenemase production.
  • Molecular typing using methods such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Main Results:

  • Two KPC-producing K. pneumoniae isolates were identified in western Michigan.
  • Molecular typing revealed these isolates were similar to other Midwestern strains.
  • The identified isolates were genetically distinct from the dominant U.S. sequence type 258 (ST258).

Conclusions:

  • The findings indicate the emergence of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae strain in western Michigan.
  • This suggests potential regional dissemination of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae strain distinct from ST258.
  • Continued surveillance is crucial to monitor the spread of carbapenem resistance.

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