Characterization of the genetic environment of blaKPC in Escherichia coli isolates from hospitals in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae members has become a major challenge, and the genetic environment of blaKPC, encoding Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases, has not been fully clarified in China. In this study, we aimed to explore the genetic environment of blaKPC in 25 carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates from hospitals in Hangzhou Province, China. Antimicrobial susceptibility against 22 common antimicrobial agents was tested. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed for screening of the resistent genes, such as blaKPC, blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaNDM, qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6’)-Ib, armA and rmtB. The genetic environment of blaKPC were determinedin one isolate. blaKPC was detected by PCR in all the clinical E. coli isolates. There were no strains carrying blaNDM, qnrA and armA. The genetic environment of blaKPC showed that blaKPC dissemination is plasmid mediated and that it is located in the Tn3–Tn4401 transposon complex. Encoding of blaKPC-2 was responsible for carbapenem resistance in the 25 E. coli isolates. The genetic environment of blaKPC was characterized by the Tn3–Tn4401 complex. Our findings may provide a theoretical basis for clinical drug-resistance monitoring, anti-infection treatment and hospital infection control.