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Feng Y, Yang Y, Hu Y, Xiao Y, Xie Y, Wei L, Wen H, Zhang L, McNally A, Zong Z. Population genomics uncovers global distribution, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence genes of the opportunistic pathogen Klebsiella aerogenes. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114602. [PMID: 39137112 PMCID: PMC11372444 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella aerogenes is an understudied and clinically important pathogen. We therefore investigate its population structure by genome analysis aligned with metadata. We sequence 130 non-duplicated K. aerogenes clinical isolates and identify two inter-patient transmission events. We then retrieve all publicly available K. aerogenes genomes (n = 1,026, accessed by January 1, 2023) and analyze them with our 130 genomes. We develop a core-genome multi-locus sequence-typing scheme. We find that K. aerogenes is a species complex comprising four phylogroups undergoing evolutionary divergence, likely forming three species. We delineate remarkable clonal diversity and identify three worldwide-distributed carbapenemase-encoding clonal clusters, representing high-risk lineages. We uncover that K. aerogenes has an open genome equipped by a large arsenal of antimicrobial resistance genes. We identify two genetic regions specific for K. aerogenes, encoding a type VI secretion system and flagella/chemotaxis for motility, respectively, both contributing to the virulence. These results provide much-needed insights into the population structure and pan-genomes of K. aerogenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Feng
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Center for Pathogen Research, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongqiang Yang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Center for Pathogen Research, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ya Hu
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Center for Pathogen Research, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuling Xiao
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Xie
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Wei
- Department of Infection Control, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongxia Wen
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Center for Pathogen Research, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linwan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Research Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Alan McNally
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zhiyong Zong
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Center for Pathogen Research, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Rodrigues SH, Nunes GD, Soares GG, Ferreira RL, Damas MSF, Laprega PM, Shilling RE, Campos LC, da Costa AS, Malavazi I, da Cunha AF, Pranchevicius MCDS. First report of coexistence of blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1 in carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates of Klebsiella aerogenes in Brazil. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1352851. [PMID: 38426065 PMCID: PMC10903355 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1352851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella aerogenes is an important opportunistic pathogen with the potential to develop resistance against last-line antibiotics, such as carbapenems, limiting the treatment options. Here, we investigated the antibiotic resistance profiles of 10 K. aerogenes strains isolated from patient samples in the intensive-care unit of a Brazilian tertiary hospital using conventional PCR and a comprehensive genomic characterization of a specific K. aerogenes strain (CRK317) carrying both the blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1 genes simultaneously. All isolates were completely resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, including ertapenem, imipenem, and meropenem with differencing levels of resistance to aminoglycosides, quinolones, and tigecycline also observed. Half of the strains studied were classified as multidrug-resistant. The carbapenemase-producing isolates carried many genes of interest including: β-lactams (blaNDM-1, blaKPC-2, blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-1 group, blaOXA-1 group and blaSHVvariants in 20-80% of the strains), aminoglycoside resistance genes [aac(6')-Ib and aph(3')-VI, 70 and 80%], a fluoroquinolone resistance gene (qnrS, 80%), a sulfonamide resistance gene (sul-2, 80%) and a multidrug efflux system transporter (mdtK, 70%) while all strains carried the efflux pumps Acr (subunit A) and tolC. Moreover, we performed a comprehensive genomic characterization of a specific K. aerogenes strain (CRK317) carrying both the blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1 genes simultaneously. The draft genome assembly of the CRK317 had a total length of 5,462,831 bp and a GC content of 54.8%. The chromosome was found to contain many essential genes. In silico analysis identified many genes associated with resistance phenotypes, including β-lactamases (blaOXA-9, blaTEM-1, blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaAmpC-1, blaAmpC-2), the bleomycin resistance gene (bleMBL), an erythromycin resistance methylase (ermC), aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes [aac(6')-Ib, aadA/ant(3")-Ia, aph(3')-VI], a sulfonamide resistance enzyme (sul-2), a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (catA-like), a plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance protein (qnrS1), a glutathione transferase (fosA), PEtN transferases (eptA, eptB) and a glycosyltransferase (arnT). We also detected 22 genomic islands, eight families of insertion sequences, two putative integrative and conjugative elements with a type IV secretion system, and eight prophage regions. This suggests the significant involvement of these genetic structures in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. The results of our study show that the emergence of carbapenemase-producing K. aerogenes, co-harboring blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1, is a worrying phenomenon which highlights the importance of developing strategies to detect, prevent, and control the spread of these microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saulo Henrique Rodrigues
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Dantas Nunes
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Guerrera Soares
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roumayne Lopes Ferreira
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Mendes Laprega
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Andrea Soares da Costa
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
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Umar A, Haque A, Alghamdi YS, Mashraqi MM, Rehman A, Shahid F, Khurshid M, Ashfaq UA. Development of a Candidate Multi-Epitope Subunit Vaccine against Klebsiella aerogenes: Subtractive Proteomics and Immuno-Informatics Approach. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111373. [PMID: 34835304 PMCID: PMC8624419 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella aerogenes is a Gram-negative bacterium which has gained considerable importance in recent years. It is involved in 10% of nosocomial and community-acquired urinary tract infections and 12% of hospital-acquired pneumonia. This organism has an intrinsic ability to produce inducible chromosomal AmpC beta-lactamases, which confer high resistance. The drug resistance in K. aerogenes has been reported in China, Israel, Poland, Italy and the United States, with a high mortality rate (~50%). This study aims to combine immunological approaches with molecular docking approaches for three highly antigenic proteins to design vaccines against K. aerogenes. The synthesis of the B-cell, T-cell (CTL and HTL) and IFN-γ epitopes of the targeted proteins was performed and most conserved epitopes were chosen for future research studies. The vaccine was predicted by connecting the respective epitopes, i.e., B cells, CTL and HTL with KK, AAY and GPGPG linkers and all these were connected with N-terminal adjuvants with EAAAK linker. The humoral response of the constructed vaccine was measured through IFN-γ and B-cell epitopes. Before being used as vaccine candidate, all identified B-cell, HTL and CTL epitopes were tested for antigenicity, allergenicity and toxicity to check the safety profiles of our vaccine. To find out the compatibility of constructed vaccine with receptors, MHC-I, followed by MHC-II and TLR4 receptors, was docked with the vaccine. Lastly, in order to precisely certify the proper expression and integrity of our construct, in silico cloning was carried out. Further studies are needed to confirm the safety features and immunogenicity of the vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahitsham Umar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (A.U.); (A.H.); (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Asma Haque
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (A.U.); (A.H.); (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Youssef Saeed Alghamdi
- Department of Biology, Turabah University College, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mutaib M Mashraqi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abdur Rehman
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (A.U.); (A.H.); (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Farah Shahid
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (A.U.); (A.H.); (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Mohsin Khurshid
- Department of Microbiology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan;
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (A.U.); (A.H.); (A.R.); (F.S.)
- Correspondence:
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Mechanisms of Resistance in Gram-Negative Urinary Pathogens: From Country-Specific Molecular Insights to Global Clinical Relevance. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11050800. [PMID: 33925181 PMCID: PMC8146862 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11050800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most frequent hospital infections and among the most commonly observed community acquired infections. Alongside their clinical importance, they are notorious because the pathogens that cause them are prone to acquiring various resistance determinants, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL); plasmid-encoded AmpC β-lactamases (p-AmpC); carbapenemases belonging to class A, B, and D; qnr genes encoding reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones; as well as genes encoding enzymes that hydrolyse aminoglycosides. In Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, the dominant resistance mechanisms are ESBLs belonging to the CTX-M, TEM, and SHV families; p-AmpC; and (more recently) carbapenemases belonging to classes A, B, and D. Urinary Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates harbour metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) and ESBLs belonging to PER and GES families, while carbapenemases of class D are found in urinary Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. The identification of resistance mechanisms in routine diagnostic practice is primarily based on phenotypic tests for the detection of beta-lactamases, such as the double-disk synergy test or Hodge test, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of resistance genes is mostly pursued in reference laboratories for research purposes. As the emergence of drug-resistant bacterial strains poses serious challenges in the management of UTIs, this review aimed to appraise mechanisms of resistance in relevant Gram-negative urinary pathogens, to provide a detailed map of resistance determinants in Croatia and the world, and to discuss the implications of these resistance traits on diagnostic approaches. We summarized a sundry of different resistance mechanisms among urinary isolates and showed how their prevalence highly depends on the local epidemiological context, highlighting the need for tailored interventions in the field of antimicrobial stewardship.
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Ma DY, Huang HY, Zou H, Wu ML, Lin QX, Liu B, Huang SF. Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella aerogenes Clinical Isolates from a Teaching Hospital in Southwestern China: Detailed Molecular Epidemiology, Resistance Determinants, Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes. Infect Drug Resist 2020; 13:577-585. [PMID: 32110068 PMCID: PMC7037117 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s235975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Little is known about the epidemiology and carbapenem-resistance determinants of carbapenem-resistant K. aerogenes (CRKA) isolated from a single medical center. The present study was initiated to characterize the molecular epidemiology and the carbapenem-resistance mechanisms of CRKA isolated during 2012–2018 from a teaching hospital in southwest China, and to investigate the risk factors and clinical outcomes of CRKA infections as well. Methods Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was employed for epidemiological analysis. PCR amplification and DNA sequencing were used to examine the antibiotic-resistance determinants. Plasmids were extracted and characterized by PCR-based replicon typing and conjugation assays. In order to further investigate the risk factors and clinical outcomes of CRKA infections, a retrospective case–control study was also performed. Results PFGE analysis showed 32 different PFGE patterns among the 36 non-duplicated CRKA strains collected. Most of the isolates harbored multi-drug resistance (MDR) genes, including 2 (5.6%) carrying blaNDM-1, 1 (2.8%) harboring blaKPC-2, 13 (36.1%) carrying ESBL genes, 23 (63.9%) carrying ampC genes, 34 (94.4%) carrying quinolone resistance determinants (QRD) genes and 9 (25%) carrying aminoglycoside resistance determinants (ARD) genes. The outer membrane porins, OmpE35 and OmpE36, were, respectively, lost in 4 and 2 isolates. The efflux pump inhibition experiments were positive in 25 (69.4%) of the CRKA strains. Multivariate analysis indicated that hypo-albuminaemia, invasive procedures, and carbapenem exposure were independent risk factors for acquiring CRKA infections. Conclusion No clonality relationship was identified among most of the 36 CRKA isolates. The over-expression of ESBLs and AmpC coupled with the efflux pumps contributed to carbapenem resistance in K. aerogenes. Additionally, this is the first report of CRKA isolate co-harboring blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaEBC, blaACC, acc (6ʹ)-Ib, armA, qnrD and loss of OmpE36 in China. Hypo-albuminaemia, invasive procedures and carbapenem exposure were associated with acquisition of CRKA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Yu Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Han-Yu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Zou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng-Lu Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiu-Xia Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi-Feng Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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Next-Generation-Sequencing-Based Hospital Outbreak Investigation Yields Insight into Klebsiella aerogenes Population Structure and Determinants of Carbapenem Resistance and Pathogenicity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.02577-18. [PMID: 30910904 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02577-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella aerogenes is a nosocomial pathogen associated with drug resistance and outbreaks in intensive care units. In a 5-month period in 2017, we experienced an increased incidence of cultures for carbapenem-resistant K. aerogenes (CR-KA) from an adult cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CICU) involving 15 patients. Phylogenomic analysis following whole-genome sequencing (WGS) identified the outbreak CR-KA isolates to group together as a tight monoclonal cluster (with no more than six single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]), suggestive of a protracted intraward transmission event. No clonal relationships were identified between the CICU CR-KA strains and additional hospital CR-KA patient isolates from different wards and/or previous years. Carbapenemase-encoding genes and drug-resistant plasmids were absent in the outbreak strains, and carbapenem resistance was attributed to mutations impacting AmpD activity and membrane permeability. The CICU outbreak strains harbored an integrative conjugative element (ICE) which has been associated with pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae lineages (ICEKp10). Comparative genomics with global K. aerogenes genomes showed our outbreak strains to group closely with global sequence type 4 (ST4) strains, which, along with ST93, likely represent dominant K. aerogenes lineages associated with human infections. For poorly characterized pathogens, scaling analyses to include sequenced genomes from public databases offer the opportunity to identify emerging trends and dominant clones associated with specific attributes, syndromes, and geographical locations.
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