Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections in
Jamaica. Objective: We aimed to determine their antimicrobial resistance profiles and to
assess biofilm formation in the presence of antibiotic, nicotine and amino acid starvation
stresses. Methodology: Antimicrobial susceptibility and multiple antimicrobial
resistance (MAR) index were determined for 23 K. pneumoniae strains. Biofilm
production was evaluated in the presence of 50 μg/ml ceftazidime or gentamicin, 0–4
mg/ml nicotine, or 0.5 mg/ml serine hydroxamate (to induce amino acid starvation).
Genetic relatedness, and the presence of type 3 fimbriae (mrkA) and determinants for
extended spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenamases (bla-IMP, bla-VIM, bla-GIM and
bla-SIM) were assessed by PCR-based amplification. Results: All strains were
susceptible to imipenem (p<0.05); frequencies of resistance varied from 4% (for
amikacin) and 8.7% (for meropenem) to over 30% for the other antimicrobials. About
half of strains were resistant to ceftazidime, gentamicin and piperacillin. Mean MAR
index was 0.31. The presence of antibiotics and nicotine at 2 and 4 mg/ml negatively
affected biofilm formation for most strains. However, with amino acid starvation, almost
60% of strains retained medium or high biofilm production. Most strains harboured
determinants for carbapenemase or metallo--lactamase, and one-third were PCRpositive for the OXA-1 gene. Strains were clustered into three groups based on ERICPCR analysis. Conclusion: These data suggest that certain antibiotics could inhibit
biofilm production in K. pneumoniae even as multidrug resistance in this organism is
evident. Further, this species has the propensity to harbour several genetic determinants
for antimicrobial resistance.
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