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Dissemination of IMP-6 metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa sequence type 235 in Korea

Yoonmi Seok1, Il Kwon Bae, Seok Hoon Jeong

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|September 22, 2011
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, specifically the ST235 strain carrying the bla(IMP-6) gene, is widespread in Korea. This finding highlights the epidemiological importance of MBL-resistant bacteria in clinical settings.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections.
  • Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are enzymes that confer resistance to a broad range of β-lactam antibiotics, posing a significant therapeutic challenge.
  • Understanding the epidemiology of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of MBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates in Korea.
  • To identify the specific MBL genes and their genetic context within these isolates.
  • To determine the genetic relatedness of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa strains.

Main Methods:

  • Collection and analysis of 386 non-duplicate P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from Korea.
  • Detection of MBL genes (blaIMP, blaVIM) using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
  • Investigation of integron structure, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for epidemiological analysis.

Main Results:

  • Thirty isolates (7.8%) harbored the bla(IMP-6) gene, and one isolate (0.3%) carried the bla(VIM-2) gene.
  • All 31 MBL-producing isolates belonged to Sequence Type 235 (ST235) and shared the bla(OXA-50g) allele.
  • Isolates exhibited similar XbaI-macrorestriction patterns (>85% similarity), indicating clonal spread.

Conclusions:

  • The bla(IMP-6) gene, located on the chromosome, is widely disseminated among P. aeruginosa ST235 isolates in Korea.
  • ST235 is a significant successful clone associated with MBL production in the Korean clinical setting.
  • These findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance and infection control measures against MBL-producing P. aeruginosa.

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