Acinetobacter bereziniae co-producing NDM-1 and OXA-58 causing pneumonia and stomatitis in a Burmese python (Python...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Microbiology
• Genomics

Background:

• Carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter (CPA) are multidrug-resistant pathogens primarily linked to healthcare-associated infections.
• CPA are increasingly identified in wildlife populations, particularly those in contact with human environments, indicating potential environmental dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report and characterize a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter bereziniae strain isolated from a fatal case of pneumonia and stomatitis in a Burmese python.
• To investigate the genetic basis of carbapenem resistance in the identified strain.
• To assess the phylogenetic relationship of the python isolate to known Acinetobacter strains.

Main Methods:

• Whole genome sequencing was performed on the Acinetobacter bereziniae isolate.
• Plasmid-borne carbapenemase genes (blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-58) were identified.
• Phylogenomic analysis was conducted to determine the evolutionary relationship of the strain.

Main Results:

• A carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter bereziniae strain was identified in a rescued Burmese python with fatal pneumonia and stomatitis.
• The strain harbored plasmid-borne blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-58 genes, conferring carbapenem resistance.
• Phylogenomic analysis revealed that the python isolate is closely related to human clinical isolates.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates the emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in wildlife, posing a potential threat to animal and public health.
• The findings underscore the importance of a One Health approach for surveillance of multidrug-resistant pathogens.
• Wildlife can act as reservoirs or sentinels for clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.