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Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria
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Virulence factors and clinical patterns of multiple-clone hypermucoviscous KPC-2 producing K. pneumoniae

J M Vargas1, M P Moreno Mochi1, J M Nuñez2

  • 1Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Instituto de Microbiología Luis C. Verna, Cátedra de Bacteriología, Laboratorio de Antimicrobianos, Ayacucho 471, CP:4000, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.

Heliyon
|July 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Hypermucoviscous carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates, primarily KPC-2 positive and serotype K2, were characterized. ST25-CC65 was identified as a dominant multidrug-resistant clone in this hospital outbreak.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) poses a significant global health threat.
  • Local epidemiological monitoring is crucial for managing CRKP outbreaks.
  • Hypermucoviscous strains of CRKP are associated with increased virulence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize hypermucoviscous CRKP isolates from a hospital setting over six months.
  • To identify carbapenemase, extended-spectrum β-lactamase, and virulence genes.
  • To determine the genetic relatedness and prevalent sequence types (STs) among isolates.

Main Methods:

  • Multiplex-PCR was used to detect carbapenemase and virulence genes.
  • Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were employed for genetic analysis.
  • Isolates were collected from clinical samples over a 6-month period.

Main Results:

  • All 35 CRKP isolates harbored the blaKPC-2 gene, often co-occurring with blaCTX-M-2 and/or blaSHV-2.
  • The capsular serotype K2 was predominant (68.6%).
  • Common virulence factors included adhesins (97.1%) and siderophores (94.3%).
  • Ten STs were identified, with ST25-CC65 (40%) and ST17 (17%) being the most frequent.
  • The incidence of KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae was 0.290 per 1000 admissions.

Conclusions:

  • A multidrug-resistant, hypermucoviscous KPC-2 producing ST25 K. pneumoniae clone caused an epidemic in the institution.
  • The findings highlight the importance of continuous surveillance for CRKP.
  • Understanding the genetic and virulence profiles of CRKP is essential for effective control strategies.
Keywords:
CarbapenemaseEpidemiologyInfectious diseaseKPCKlebsiella pneumoniaeMicrobiologyMulti-clonal

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