Characterization of a Conjugative Hybrid Plasmid Coharboring <i>bla</i> <sub>KPC-2</sub> and <i>bla</i> <sub>IMP-4</sub> in a Klebsiella quasipneumoniae Clinical Isolate
Huiyue Dong, Ziyi Liu, Zhiyao Wu, Tingting Zhang, Ziwei Xia, Yuxin Zhao, Yan Li, Jinjin Shi, Zhiqiang Wang, Ruichao Li, Shangshang Qin
Abstract
strains. Our study described the cooccurrence of KPC-2, a serine β-lactamase, and IMP-4, a metallo-β-lactamase (MBL), on a conjugative hybrid plasmid from a clinical carbapenem-resistant K. quasipneumoniae strain, and it revealed an alternative route for IncHI5 plasmid to evolve by recombining with other plasmids to form a hybrid plasmid. Moreover, this hybrid plasmid can be transferred into other Klebsiella species and stably persist during passage. The propagation of two important carbapenemase genes with a new genetic background using well-evolved plasmids in the clinical setting promotes the emergence of superbugs that require careful monitoring.