INTRODUCTION: The human body is colonized by a large number of different bacterial and fungal species, with most microorganisms inhabiting the skin, oral cavity, and the lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the species diversity of clinically significant Staphylococcus spp. isolates, obtained from blood cultures of patients with central venous catheter (CVC) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) during the period January 2019-December 2020, as well as to test their susceptibility to a set of antimicrobials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 non-duplicate clinically significant staphylococcal isolates from blood cultures of 17 patients with implemented CVCs following HSCT were obtained. The Bactec and Phoenix automated systems (BD, USA) were used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. RESULTS: In the collected group of 21 isolates, 85.7% were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS): S. epidermidis, n=12; S. haemolyticus, n=4; S. hominis, n=2, and 3 isolates were identified as S. aureus. Methicillin resistance was 85.7% and was detected only in the CoNS group. In decreasing order, the resistance rates in CoNS group were as follows: 100% for penicillin and cefoxitin >83.3% erythromycin >72.2% ciprofloxacin >61.1% gentamicin >44.4% for clindamycin and trimethoprim/sulfamenthoxazole. No resistance to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid was found. S. aureus isolates demonstrated preserved susceptibility to all antimicrobials with exception to penicillin. CONCLUSION: In the present study, CoNS were identified as the most common cause of catheter-related bloodstream infections (BSIs) in patients following HSCT, with S. epidermidis being the predominant spe-
Many studies report an increase in antimicrobial resistance of Gram – negative bacteria during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to evaluate the epidemiological relationship between carbapenem-resistant (CR) Enterobacteriaceae isolates from patients in COVID-19 wards and to investigate the main mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in these isolates during the period April 2020–July 2021. A total of 45 isolates were studied: Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 37), Klebsiella oxytoca (n = 2), Enterobacter cloacae complex (n = 4) and Escherichia coli (n = 2). Multiplex PCR was used for detection of genes encoding carbapenemases from different classes (blaKPC, blaIMP, blaVIM, blaNDM, blaOXA-48). For epidemiological typing and analysis, ERIC PCR was performed. Two clinical isolates of E. cloacae, previously identified as representatives of two dominant hospital clones from the period 2014–2017, were included in the study for comparison. In the CR K. pneumoniae group, 23 (62.2%) carried blaKPC, 13 (35.1%) blaNDM, 10 (27.0%) blaVIM, and 9 (24.3%) were positive for both blaKPC and blaVIM. The blaKPC was identified also in the two isolates of K. oxytoca and blaVIM in all E. cloacae complex isolates. The two CR isolates of E. coli possessed blaKPC and blaOXA-48 genes. Epidemiological typing identified 18 ERIC profiles among K. pneumoniae, some presented as clusters of identical and/or closely related isolates. The carbapenem resistance in the studied collection of isolates is mediated mainly by blaKPC. During the COVID-19 pandemic intrahospital dissemination of CR K. pneumoniae, producing carbapenemases of different molecular classes, as well as continuing circulation of dominant hospital clones of multidrug-resistant E. cloacae complex was documented.
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