Frontiers in Microbiology (Nov 2021)

Co-conjugation of Virulence Plasmid and KPC Plasmid in a Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain

  • Xuemei Yang,
  • Ning Dong,
  • Xiaoxuan Liu,
  • Chen Yang,
  • Lianwei Ye,
  • Edward Wai-Chi Chan,
  • Edward Wai-Chi Chan,
  • Rong Zhang,
  • Sheng Chen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.739461
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-HvKP) strains have been increasingly reported, and it is important to understand the evolutionary mechanisms of these highly pathogenic and resistant bacterial pathogens. In this study, we characterized a ST11 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strain which harbored an IncFIB/IncHI1B type virulence plasmid and an IncFII/IncR type blaKPC–2-bearing plasmid. The virulence plasmid was found to be conjugative and harbored a 35-kbp fragment including aerobactin encoding cluster from virulence plasmid pLVPK and multiple resistance genes, resulting in a mosaic multi-drug resistance and virulence plasmid. This virulence plasmid could be transferred via conjugation to Escherichia coli and K. pneumoniae strains alone as well as together with the blaKPC–2-bearing plasmid. Co-transmission of virulence and blaKPC–2-bearing plasmids would directly convert a classic K. pneumoniae strain into CR-HvKP strain, leading to a sharp increase in the prevalence of CR-HvKP in clinical settings, which poses a great threat to human health.

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