Genomic rearrangements of mobile genetic elements associated with carbapenem resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

With the excessive genome plasticity, Acinetobacter baumannii has the capability to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistance genes that are often associated with mobile genetic elements (MGE). Analyzing the genetic environment of resistance genes often provides valuable information on the origin, emergence, evolution and spread of resistance. Thus, we characterized the genomic features of some clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii to understand the role of diverse MGE and their genetic context that are responsible for the dissemination of carbapenem resistance genes. For this, a total of 17 clinical isolates of A. baumannii obtained from multiple hospitals in India between the years 2018 and 2019 were analysed. Antimicrobial resistance determinants, genetic context of resistance genes and molecular epidemiology were studied using whole genome sequencing. A high prevalence of blaOXA-23 was observed followed by the presence of dual carbapenemase, blaOXA-23 and blaNDM. Three novel Oxford sequence types were identified. Majority of the isolates belonged to dominant clone, IC2 followed by less prevalent clones such as IC7 and IC8. Complex diverse AbaR4 like and AbGRI-like islands belonging to IC2 lineage were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that provides a comprehensive profiling of resistance islands along with the MGE, acquired antimicrobial resistance genes and the distribution of clonal lineages of carbapenem resistant A. baumannii from India.

Outbreak of High-risk XDR CRAB of International Clone 2 (IC2) in Rio Janeiro, Brazil

“…The ARG and virulence mobile elements identified here appear to be scattered among IC2 A. baumannii, as observed in several other genomes in the current dataset and also reported in IC2 genomes from India [31] and China [32]. In addition, virulence and conjugative plasmids have also been reported in other ICs, such as IC5 and IC7, in Bolivia [33], a country that borders Brazil.…”

Moving toward Extensively Drug-Resistant: Four-Year Antimicrobial Resistance Trends of Acinetobacter baumannii from the Largest Department of Internal Medicine in Slovakia

“…Several studies have demonstrated horizontal gene transfer of mobile antimicrobial-resistant genetic elements (known as mobile gene element MEG) to and from A. baumannii through plasmids, integrons, insertion sequences, transposons, prophages, etc. [35][36][37][38]. K. pneumoniae is one of the most wellstudied bacteria, known as a main pool of drug resistance and as a transporter of resistance genes among Gram-negative bacteria, including A. baumannii [37,39,40].…”

“…[35][36][37][38]. K. pneumoniae is one of the most wellstudied bacteria, known as a main pool of drug resistance and as a transporter of resistance genes among Gram-negative bacteria, including A. baumannii [37,39,40]. In a recent study published by Kore ň et al, a whole-genome sequencing of CR strains of K. pneumoniae, isolated from the Bratislava University Hospital complex, was performed [41,42].…”