Circulation of blaKPC-3-Carrying IncX3 Plasmids among Citrobacter freundii Isolates in an Italian Hospital

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017 Jul 25;61(8):e00505-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00505-17. Print 2017 Aug.

Abstract

Colonizations due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a source of antimicrobial resistance transmission in health care settings. Eleven Citrobacter freundii strains producing KPC-3 carbapenemase were isolated from rectal swabs during a 3-year surveillance program. blaKPC-3-carrying plasmids were found to belong to the IncX3 group in 9 of the 11 strains, and complete nucleotide sequences were obtained for 2 of them. Our results highlight the possible role of C. freundii as reservoir of resistance genes.

Keywords: Citrobacter freundii; IncX3; KPC; KPC-3; antibiotic resistance.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae / genetics
  • Carbapenems / pharmacology*
  • Citrobacter freundii / drug effects*
  • Citrobacter freundii / genetics*
  • Citrobacter freundii / isolation & purification
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / drug therapy
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Plasmids / genetics*
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carbapenems
  • beta-Lactamases
  • carbapenemase