We describe four cases of a novel carbapenem-resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ST179 clone carrying the
bla
KPC-2
or
bla
KPC-35
gene together with
bla
IMP-16
, imported from Peru to Spain and isolated from leukemia patients. All isolates were multidrug-resistant but remained susceptible to fosfomycin, cefiderocol, and colistin. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that
bla
KPC-2
and
bla
KPC-35
were located in an IncP6 plasmid, whereas
bla
IMP-16
was in a chromosomal type 1 integron. This study highlights the global threat of multidrug-resistant
P. aeruginosa
clones and underscores the importance of monitoring and early detection of emerging resistance mechanisms to guide appropriate treatment strategies. The importation and spread of such clones emphasize the urgent need to implement strict infection control measures to prevent the dissemination of carbapenem-resistant bacteria.
IMPORTANCE
This is the first documented case of a
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ST179 strain carrying the blaKPC-35 gene, and it represents the first report of a
P. aeruginosa
co-harboring blaIMP-16 and either blaKPC-2 or blaKPC-35, which wre imported from Peru to Spain, highlighting a threat due to the capacity of spreading carbapenem-resistance via plasmid conjugation.