scholarly journals Identification of a novel hybrid plasmid encoding KPC-2 and virulence factors in Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 11

Author(s):  
Longyang Jin ◽  
Ruobing Wang ◽  
Hua Gao ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Hui Wang

Recent emergence of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) co-harbouring blaKPC-2 and pLVPK-like virulence plasmids represented a novel clinical challenge. In the present study, we characterized a blaKPC-2 and virulence hybrid plasmid, designated as pCRHV-C2244, from a clinical ST11-K64 CRKP strain. pCRHV-C2244 was non-self-transmissible due to the incomplete conjugative elements, but mobilizable together with a conjugative helper. Enhanced virulence and stable maintenance without significant fitness loss in its original host were confirmed in vitro and in vivo.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Ying Zhu ◽  
Guang-Yu Wang ◽  
Qing Wei ◽  
Zhen Shen ◽  
Qiong Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Although carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae (HMKP) were largely non-overlapping, the recent emergence of CR-HMKP has raised great alarm in the world. We compared the molecular characteristics of CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates.Results: 220 cases of K. pneumoniae isolates was collected and identified between Jan 2015 and Dec 2016 from Renji Hospital. Carbapenem resistance test and string test were performed to screen CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates. All the CRKP, HMKP and CR-HMKP isolates were investigated for capsular genotyping, virulence genes and resistance genes by PCR and DNA sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to characterize isolates sequence types (STs). Serum killing assay and mouse lethality assay were respectively performed to confirm the virulence of the isolates in vitro and in vivo. Of 220 K. pneumoniae,71 HMKP, 84 CRKP and 8 CR-HMKP were identified. Resistance rate to carbapenems was significantly higher in CRKP than HMKP and CR-HMKP. For MLST and serotyping, ST23 (26.8%),K1 (33.8%) and K2 (23.9%) serotypes were the most common in HMKP isolates while ST11 (84.5%, 100%) and K-nontypable (91.6%, 100%) were the predominant types in CRKP and CR-HMKP isolates. The existence of virulence genes rmpA, magA and iutA was significantly higher in HMKP while the prevalence of resistance gene blaKPC-2 was higher in CRKP and CR-HMKP. Virulence test in vivo and in vitro both showed the lower virulence of CRKP and CR-HMKP compared to HMKP.Conclusions: In spite of low virulence, the emergence of CR-HMKP indicates a confluence of hypermucoviscous phenotype and carbapenem resistance. Furthermore, the similar molecular characteristics between CRKP and CR-HMKP suggested that CR-HMKP might evolve from CRKP.


2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1797-1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K. Shields ◽  
M. Hong Nguyen ◽  
Brian A. Potoski ◽  
Ellen G. Press ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTreatment failures of a carbapenem-colistin regimen among patients with bacteremia due to sequence type 258 (ST258), KPC-2-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaewere significantly more likely if both agents were inactivein vitro, as defined by a colistin MIC of >2 μg/ml and the presence of either a majorompK36porin mutation (guanine and alanine insertions at amino acids 134 and 135 [ins aa 134–135 GD], IS5promoter insertion [P= 0.007]) or a doripenem MIC of >8 μg/ml (P= 0.01). MajorompK36mutations among KPC-K. pneumoniaestrains are important determinants of carbapenem-colistin responsesin vitroandin vivo.


2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 4443-4451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem Almaghrabi ◽  
Cornelius J. Clancy ◽  
Yohei Doi ◽  
Binghua Hao ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe measuredin vitroactivity of plazomicin, a next-generation aminoglycoside, and other aminoglycosides against 50 carbapenem-resistantKlebsiella pneumoniaestrains from two centers and correlated the results with the presence of various aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs). Ninety-four percent of strains were sequence type 258 (ST258) clones, which exhibited 5ompK36genotypes; 80% and 10% of strains producedKlebsiella pneumoniaecarbapenemase 2 (KPC-2) and KPC-3, respectively. Ninety-eight percent of strains possessed AMEs, including AAC(6′)-Ib (98%), APH(3′)-Ia (56%), AAC(3)-IV (38%), and ANT(2″)-Ia (2%). Gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin nonsusceptibility rates were 40, 98, and 16%, respectively. Plazomicin MICs ranged from 0.25 to 1 μg/ml. Tobramycin and plazomicin MICs correlated with gentamicin MICs (r= 0.75 and 0.57, respectively). Plazomicin exerted bactericidal activity against 17% (1× MIC) and 94% (4× MIC) of strains. All strains with AAC(6′)-Ib were tobramycin-resistant; 16% were nonsusceptible to amikacin. AAC(6′)-Ib combined with another AME was associated with higher gentamicin, tobramycin, and plazomicin MICs than AAC(6′)-Ib alone (P= 0.01, 0.0008, and 0.046, respectively). The presence of AAC(3)-IV in a strain was also associated with higher gentamicin, tobramycin, and plazomicin MICs (P= 0.0006,P< 0.0001, andP= 0.01, respectively). The combination of AAC(6′)-Ib and another AME, the presence of AAC(3)-IV, and the presence of APH(3′)-Ia were each associated with gentamicin resistance (P= 0.0002, 0.003, and 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, carbapenem-resistantK. pneumoniaestrains (including ST258 clones) exhibit highly diverse antimicrobial resistance genotypes and phenotypes. Plazomicin may offer a treatment option against strains resistant to other aminoglycosides. The development of molecular assays that predict antimicrobial responses among carbapenem-resistantK. pneumoniaestrains should be a research priority.


mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasturi Banerjee ◽  
Michael P. Motley ◽  
Elizabeth Diago-Navarro ◽  
Bettina C. Fries

ABSTRACT Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) heterogeneity within carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) strain sequence type 258 (ST258) must be considered when developing CPS-based vaccines. Here, we sought to characterize CPS-specific antibody responses elicited by CR-Kp-infected patients. Plasma and bacterial isolates were collected from 33 hospital patients with positive CR-Kp cultures. Isolate capsules were typed by wzi sequencing. Reactivity and measures of efficacy of patient antibodies were studied against 3 prevalent CR-Kp CPS types (wzi29, wzi154, and wzi50). High IgG titers against wzi154 and wzi50 CPS were documented in 79% of infected patients. Patient-derived (PD) IgGs agglutinated CR-Kp and limited growth better than naive IgG and promoted phagocytosis of strains across the serotype isolated from their donors. Additionally, poly-IgG from wzi50 and wzi154 patients promoted phagocytosis of nonconcordant CR-Kp serotypes. Such effects were lost when poly-IgG was depleted of CPS-specific IgG. Additionally, mice infected with wzi50, wzi154, and wzi29 CR-Kp strains preopsonized with wzi50 patient-derived IgG exhibited lower lung CFU than controls. Depletion of wzi50 antibodies (Abs) reversed this effect in wzi50 and wzi154 infections, whereas wzi154 Ab depletion reduced poly-IgG efficacy against wzi29 CR-Kp. We are the first to report cross-reactive properties of CPS-specific Abs from CR-Kp patients through both in vitro and in vivo models. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a rapidly emerging public health threat that can cause fatal infections in up to 50% of affected patients. Due to its resistance to nearly all antimicrobials, development of alternate therapies like antibodies and vaccines is urgently needed. Capsular polysaccharides constitute important targets, as they are crucial for Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenesis. Capsular polysaccharides are very diverse and, therefore, studying the host’s capsule-type specific antibodies is crucial to develop effective anti-CPS immunotherapies. In this study, we are the first to characterize humoral responses in infected patients against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae expressing different wzi capsule types. This study is the first to report the efficacy of cross-reactive properties of CPS-specific Abs in both in vitro and in vivo models.


Author(s):  
Wentao Ni ◽  
Deqing Yang ◽  
Jie Guan ◽  
Wen Xi ◽  
Dexun Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) infections represent severe threats to public health worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess potential synergistic interaction between tigecycline and aminoglycosides via in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods Antibiotic resistance profiles and molecular characteristics of 168 CR-KP clinical isolates were investigated by susceptibility testing, PCR and MLST. Chequerboard tests and time–kill assays were performed for 20 CR-KP isolates to evaluate in vitro synergistic effects of tigecycline combined with aminoglycosides. A tissue-cage infection model of rats was established to evaluate in vivo synergistic effects. Different doses of tigecycline and aminoglycosides alone or in combination were administered for 7 days via tail vein injection. Antibiotic efficacy was evaluated in tissue-cage fluid and emergence of resistance was screened. Results The chequerboard tests showed that this combination displayed synergistic or partial synergistic activity against CR-KP. The time–kill assays further demonstrated that strong synergistic effects of such a combination existed against isolates that were susceptible to both drugs but for resistant isolates no synergy was observed if clinical pharmacokinetics were taken into consideration. The in vivo study showed that the therapeutic effectiveness of combination therapies was better than that of monotherapy for susceptible isolates, suggesting in vivo synergistic effects. Furthermore, combinations of tigecycline with an aminoglycoside showed significant activity in reducing the occurrence of tigecycline-resistant mutants. Conclusions Compared with single drugs, tigecycline combined with aminoglycosides could exert synergistic effects and reduce the emergence of tigecycline resistance. Such a combination might be an effective alternative when treating CR-KP infections in clinical practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1964
Author(s):  
Ya-Ting Chang ◽  
Tsung-Ying Yang ◽  
Po-Liang Lu ◽  
Shang-Yi Lin ◽  
Liang-Chun Wang ◽  
...  

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is listed as an urgent threat by the World Health Organization because of the limited therapeutic options, rapid evolution of resistance mechanisms, and worldwide dissemination. Colistin is a common backbone agent among the “last-resort” antibiotics for CRE; however, its emerging resistance among CRE has taken the present dilemma to the next level. Azidothymidine (AZT), a thymidine analog used to treat human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, has been known to possess antibacterial effects against Enterobacteriaceae. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of AZT and colistin in 40 clinical isolates of colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CCRKP). Eleven of the 40 isolates harbored Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. The in vitro checkerboard method and in vivo nematode killing assay both revealed synergistic activity between the two agents, with fractional inhibitory concentration indexes of ≤0.5 in every strain. Additionally, a significantly lower hazard ratio was observed for the nematodes treated with combination therapy (0.288; p < 0.0001) compared with either AZT or colistin treatment. Toxicity testing indicated potentially low toxicity of the combination therapy. Thus, the AZT–colistin combination could be a potentially favorable therapeutic option for treating CCRKP.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt M Mortzfeld ◽  
Jacob D Palmer ◽  
Shakti K Bhattarai ◽  
Haley L Dupre ◽  
Regino Mercado-Lubo ◽  
...  

Background: The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the reservoir for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, specifically carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Enterobacteriaceae, which often lead to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes, severe extraintestinal infections, and lethal outcomes. Selective GI decolonization has been proposed as a new strategy for preventing transmission to other body sites and minimizing spreading to susceptible individuals. Results: Here, we purify the to-date uncharacterized class IIb microcin I47 (MccI47) and demonstrate potent inhibition of numerous Enterobacteriaceae, including MDR clinical isolates, in vitro at concentrations resembling those of commonly prescribed antibiotics. We then genetically modify the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to produce MccI47 from a stable multicopy plasmid by using MccI47 toxin production in a counterselection mechanism to engineer one of the native EcN plasmids, which renders provisions for inducible expression and plasmid selection unnecessary. We then test the clinical relevance of the MccI47-producing engineered EcN in a murine CR K. pneumoniae colonization model and demonstrate significant MccI47-dependent reduction of CR K. pneumoniae abundance after seven days of daily oral live biotherapeutic administration without disruption of the resident microbiota. Conclusions: This study provides the first demonstration of MccI47 as a potent antimicrobial against certain Enterobacteriaceae, and its ability to significantly reduce the abundance of CR K. pneumoniae in a preclinical animal model, when delivered from an engineered live biotherapeutic product. This study serves as the foundational step towards the use of engineered live biotherapeutic products aimed at the selective removal of MDR pathogens from the GI tract.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunlong Shi ◽  
Yuan Peng ◽  
Yixin Zhang ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
...  

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most significant threats to global public health. As antibiotic failure is increasing, phages are gradually becoming important agents in the post-antibiotic era. In this study, the therapeutic effects and safety of kpssk3, a previously isolated phage infecting carbapenem-resistant hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-HMKP), were evaluated in a mouse model of systemic CR-HMKP infection. The therapeutic efficacy experiment showed that intraperitoneal injection with a single dose of phage kpssk3 (1 × 107 PFU/mouse) 3 h post infection protected 100% of BALB/c mice against bacteremia induced by intraperitoneal challenge with a 2 × LD100 dose of NY03, a CR-HMKP clinical isolate. In addition, mice were treated with antibiotics from three classes (polymyxin B, tigecycline, and ceftazidime/avibactam plus aztreonam), and the 7 days survival rates of the treated mice were 20, 20, and 90%, respectively. The safety test consisted of 2 parts: determining the cytotoxicity of kpssk3 and evaluating the short- and long-term impacts of phage therapy on the mouse gut microbiota. Phage kpssk3 was shown to not be cytotoxic to mammalian cells in vitro or in vivo. Fecal samples were collected from the phage-treated mice at 3 time points before (0 day) and after (3 and 10 days) phage therapy to study the change in the gut microbiome via high-throughput 16S rDNA sequence analysis, which revealed no notable alterations in the gut microbiota except for decreases in the Chao1 and ACE indexes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S60-S60
Author(s):  
Shayla Hesse ◽  
Natalia Malachowa ◽  
Adeline Porter ◽  
Brett Freedman ◽  
Scott Kobayashi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is being considered as a treatment option for patients with multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections. However, there is a dearth of controlled clinical data to support therapeutic phage efficacy. As a first step toward addressing this deficiency, we tested the ability of two well-characterized phages, alone and in combination, to kill carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (ST258) in blood in vitro and rescue mice from lethal ST258 infection. Methods Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were infected with a lethal inoculum of ST258 by intra-peritoneal (IP) injection followed 1 hour later by IP administration of lytic phage P1, P2, or P1+P2 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) estimated at 1. Survival of each group of mice was tracked for 10 days. In separate experiments, mice were sacrificed at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours post-phage treatment. Mouse blood and tissues were collected at each timepoint for enumeration of bacteria and phage, screening for phage resistance, and histopathology. Results ST258 survival in mouse blood in vitro was significantly less after 1 hour of incubation with P1 or P1+P2 (MOI 1) compared with the control group (no phage). Consistent with the in vitro data, none of the mice (0/15) in the control group (no phage) survived to 10 days post-infection, whereas 12/15, 14/15, and 15/15 mice survived in the P2, P1, and P1+P2-treated groups, respectively (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Prompt, systemic administration of lytic bacteriophages rescued mice from lethal ST258 infection. These data support the potential of phage therapy to effectively treat infections caused by ST258. It will be important to assess whether, for other phage-bacteria combinations, in vitro lysis in blood correlates with in vivo treatment efficacy and therefore may have predictive utility. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.


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