Whole Genome Characterization of the High-Risk Clone ST383 Klebsiella pneumoniae with a Simultaneous Carriage of bla CTX-M-14 on IncL/M Plasmid and bla CTX-M-15 on Convergent IncHI1B/IncFIB Plasmid from Egypt

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) 2022-05, Vol.10 (6)
• Main Authors: Edward, Eva A, Mohamed, Nelly M, Zakaria, Azza S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061097

Recently, Egypt has witnessed the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) which has posed a serious healthcare challenge. The accelerated dissemination of genes among these MDR , particularly and , have been noted. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of among recovered from the laboratory of a major hospital in Alexandria. The 23 tested isolates showed an MDR phenotype and the gene was detected in ≈22% of the isolates. The transformation of plasmids harboring to chemically competent cells of DH5α was successful in three out of five of the tested -positive isolates. Whole genome sequencing of K22 indicated that the isolate belonged to the high-risk clone ST383, showing a simultaneous carriage of on IncL/M plasmid, i.e., pEGY22_CTX-M-14, and on a hybrid IncHI1B/IncFIB plasmid, pEGY22_CTX-M-15. Alignment of both plasmids revealed high similarity with those originating in the UK, Germany, Australia, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. pEGY22_CTX-M-15 was a mosaic plasmid that demonstrated convergence of MDR and virulence genes. The emergence of such a plasmid with enhanced genetic plasticity constitutes the perfect path for the evolution of isolates causing invasive untreatable infections especially in a country with a high burden of infectious diseases such as Egypt. Therefore there is an imperative need for countrywide surveillances to monitor the prevalence of these superbugs with limited therapeutic options.