Acquisition of Plasmid with Carbapenem-Resistance Gene <i>bla</i><sub>KPC2</sub> in Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, Singapore
Yahua Chen, Kalisvar Marimuthu, Jeanette Teo, Indumathi Venkatachalam, Benjamin Pei Zhi Cherng, Liang De Wang, Sai Rama Sridatta Prakki, XU Wei-zhen, Yi Han Tan, Lan Chi Nguyen, Tse Hsien Koh, Oon Tek Ng, Yunn‐Hwen Gan
Abstract
, a K. pneumoniae carbapenemase gene, and had a hypervirulent background of capsular serotypes K1, K2, and K20. In total, 5 of 7 first patient isolates were hypermucoviscous, and 6 were virulent in mice. The pKPC2 was highly transmissible and remarkably stable, maintained in bacteria within a patient with few changes for months in the absence of antimicrobial drug selection pressure. Intrapatient isolates were also able to acquire additional antimicrobial drug resistance genes when inside human bodies. Our results highlight the potential spread of carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent K. pneumoniae in Singapore.