Six Extensively Drug-Resistant Bacteria in an Injured Soldier, Ukraine

Area of Science:

• Clinical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a global health threat, particularly in clinical settings.
• Injured service members may be at increased risk of acquiring multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles and genetic determinants of bacterial isolates from an injured service member.
• To identify specific carbapenemase and 16S methyltransferase genes present in the isolates.

Main Methods:

• Blood and surveillance cultures were performed.
• Bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiological techniques.
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted.
• Genomic analysis was performed to detect antibiotic resistance genes, including carbapenemases and 16S methyltransferases.

Main Results:

• Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium, and three distinct Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were isolated.
• All isolates exhibited nonsusceptibility to most tested antibiotics.
• A wide array of antibiotic resistance genes were detected, including blaIMP-1, blaNDM-1, blaOXA-23, blaOXA-48, blaOXA-72, armA, and rmtB4.

Conclusions:

• The study identified extensively drug-resistant bacteria in an injured service member, highlighting the potential for MDROs in this population.
• The presence of multiple carbapenemase and 16S methyltransferase genes underscores the complex resistance mechanisms involved.
• These findings emphasize the need for vigilant surveillance and infection control measures to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms.