First Detection and Molecular Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa blaNDM-1 ST308 in Greece

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to report the detection and the molecular characterization of nine blaNDM-1-positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, all of which belonged to the epidemic high-risk international clone ST308, and all were isolated from patients in a tertiary care hospital in Central Greece from May to July 2023.The isolates were characterized by whole genome sequencing to obtain multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST) and identify the blaNDM1-environment and resistome and virulence genes content. In silico MLST analysis showed that all isolates belonged to the high-risk ST308 international clone. All strains possessed 22 different genes, encoding resistance to various antimicrobial agents. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the blaNDM-1 was chromosomally located within the integrative and conjugative element ICETn43716385 and that it was part of one cassette along with two other resistance genes, floR and msrE. Two additional resistance cassettes were also found in the genome, which included the arrays of aph(6)-Id, aph(3″)-Ib, floR, sul2 and aadA10, qnrVC1, aac(3)-Id, dfrB5, aac(6′)-II. Additionally, the strains possessed various virulence genes, e.g., aprA, exoU, lasA, lasB, toxA, and estA. All of the isolates shared identical genomes, which showed 98% similarity with the P. aeruginosa ST308 genome (acc. no CP020703), previously reported from Singapore. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ST308 blaNDM-1-positive P. aeruginosa isolation in Europe, which indicates the transmission dynamics of this high-risk clone.