First VIM-producing representative of Pseudomonas putida group from the largest Bulgarian hospital

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• The emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria poses a significant global health threat.
• Pseudomonas species are common opportunistic pathogens, and their resistance mechanisms are of clinical importance.
• VIM-2 is a prevalent metallo-beta-lactamase conferring resistance to carbapenems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first detection of a VIM-2-producing Pseudomonas krumegalensis.
• To characterize this novel finding within a Bulgarian healthcare setting.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial isolation and identification from clinical samples.
• Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antimicrobial resistance, including VIM-2 detection.

Main Results:

• Identification of Pseudomonas krumegalensis as the VIM-2 producer.
• The isolate was recovered from St George University Hospital, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
• This represents the first documented instance of VIM-2 production in this bacterial species.

Conclusions:

• The presence of VIM-2-producing Pseudomonas krumegalensis in Bulgaria signifies a potential expansion of carbapenemase-producing organisms.
• This finding underscores the need for enhanced surveillance and infection control measures against multidrug-resistant bacteria in healthcare settings.