Raman spectroscopic analysis of the clonal and horizontal spread of CTX-M-15-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in a neonatal intensive care unit

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012 Oct;31(10):2827-34. doi: 10.1007/s10096-012-1636-4. Epub 2012 May 27.

Abstract

Nosocomial outbreaks of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae are an increasing concern in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We describe an outbreak of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae that lasted 5 months and affected 23 neonates in our NICU. Proton pump inhibitor and extended-spectrum cephalosporin exposure were significantly associated with the risk of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae colonisation and/or infection. Thirty isolates recovered from clinical, screening and environmental samples in the NICU were studied by means of Raman spectroscopy, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR). The Raman clustering was in good agreement with the results of the other two molecular methods. Fourteen isolates belonged to the Raman clone 1 and 16 to the Raman clone 3. Molecular analysis showed that all the strains expressed SHV-1 chromosomal resistance, plasmid-encoded TEM-1 and CTX-M-15 β-lactamases. Incompatibility groups of plasmid content identified by PCR-based replicon typing indicated that resistance dissemination was due to the clonal spread of K. pneumoniae and horizontal CTX-M-15 gene transfer between the two clones.

MeSH terms

  • Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Cefotaxime / pharmacology
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Female
  • Fomites / microbiology
  • France / epidemiology
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
  • Klebsiella Infections / epidemiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / transmission*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / enzymology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / pathogenicity*
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Risk Factors
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination
  • beta-lactamase CTX-M-15
  • beta-lactamase PIT-2
  • beta-Lactamases
  • beta-lactamase TEM-1
  • Cefotaxime