Identification and Characterization of Plasmids and Genes from Carbapenemase-Producing <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia
Rayan Y. Booq,
Mohammed H. Abutarboush,
Mohammed A. Alolayan,
Abdulaziz A. Huraysi,
Amjad N. Alotaibi,
Maha I. Alturki,
Maryam K. Alshammari,
Abrar A. Bakr,
Azzam A. Alquait,
Essam A. Tawfik,
Nasser B. Alsaleh,
Fayez S. Bahwerth,
Mohammed S. Alarawi,
Essam J. Alyamani,
Bandar K. Sendy
Affiliations
Rayan Y. Booq
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed H. Abutarboush
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed A. Alolayan
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz A. Huraysi
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Amjad N. Alotaibi
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Maha I. Alturki
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Maryam K. Alshammari
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 12371, Saudi Arabia
Abrar A. Bakr
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Azzam A. Alquait
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Essam A. Tawfik
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Nasser B. Alsaleh
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
Fayez S. Bahwerth
Microbiology Department, King Faisal Hospital, Ministry of Health, Makkah 24236, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed S. Alarawi
Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
Essam J. Alyamani
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Bandar K. Sendy
National Centre for Biotechnology, Life Science and Environment Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is involved in several hospital and community-acquired infections. The prevalence of K. pneumoniae-producing-carbapenemase (KPC) resistance genes rapidly increases and threatens public health worldwide. This study aimed to assess the antibiotic resistance level of K. pneumoniae isolates from Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia, during the Islamic ‘Umrah’ ritual and to identify the plasmid types, presence of genes associated with carbapenem hydrolyzing enzymes, and virulence factors. The phenotypic and genotypic analyses based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), biofilm formation, PCR, and characterization of KPC-encoding plasmids based on the replicon typing technique (PBRT) were explored. The results showed that most isolates were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics and other antibiotics classes. This study identified sixteen different replicons of plasmids in the isolates and multiple genes encoding carbapenem factors, with blaVIM and blaOXA-48 being the most prevalent genes identified in the isolates. However, none of the isolates exhibited positivity for the KPC production activity. In addition, this study also identified six virulence-related genes, including kfu, wabG, uge, rmpA, fimH, and a capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Together, the data reported in this study indicate that the isolated K. pneumoniae during the pilgrimage in Makkah were all resistant to carbapenem antibiotics. Although the isolates lacked KPC production activity, they carried multiple carbapenem-resistant genes and virulence factors, which could drive their resistant phenotype. The need for specialized methods for KPC detection, monitoring the possibility of nosocomial transmission, and diverse therapeutic alternatives are necessary for controlling the spreading of KPC. This study can serve as a reference for clinicians and researchers on types of K. pneumoniae commonly found during religious gathering seasons in Saudi Arabia.
