Decoding the resistome, virulome and mobilome of clinical versus aquatic Acinetobacter baumannii in southern Romania
Irina Gheorghe-Barbu,
Marius Surleac,
Ilda Czobor Barbu,
Simona Paraschiv,
Leontina Mirela Bănică,
Liviu-Iulian Rotaru,
Corneliu Ovidiu Vrâncianu,
Mihai Niță Lazăr,
Dan Oțelea,
Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
Affiliations
Irina Gheorghe-Barbu
Department of Microbiology and Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Marius Surleac
Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; National Institute for Infectious Diseases, “Matei Balș’‘, Bucharest, Romania
Ilda Czobor Barbu
Department of Microbiology and Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Corresponding author. Department of Microbiology and Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.
Simona Paraschiv
National Institute for Infectious Diseases, “Matei Balș’‘, Bucharest, Romania
Leontina Mirela Bănică
National Institute for Infectious Diseases, “Matei Balș’‘, Bucharest, Romania
Liviu-Iulian Rotaru
Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Corneliu Ovidiu Vrâncianu
Department of Microbiology and Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 296 Splaiul Independentei, District 6, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
Mihai Niță Lazăr
National Institute for Research and Development for Industrial Ecology, Bucharest, Romania
Dan Oțelea
National Institute for Infectious Diseases, “Matei Balș’‘, Bucharest, Romania
Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
Department of Microbiology and Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
Acinetobacter baumannii, a notorious opportunistic pathogen, presents a formidable challenge in both clinical and environmental fields due to its resilience and ability to acquire resistance. This study undertook a comprehensive analysis of 183 A. baumannii isolates collected between 2019 and 2022 from intra-hospital infections (IHI), hospital sewages (Hs), wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), and adjacent river waters from two Southern cities, focusing on their resistome, virulome, and mobilome through isolation on chromogenic media, identification by MALDI-TOF-MS and antibiotic susceptibility testing by disk diffusion) followed by genotypic characterization [Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), 3rd generation sequencing through the MinION (ONT) platform, pangenome description, and respectively horizontal gene transfer through conjugation assays]. Our findings reveal significant genomic plasticity and the prevalence of high-risk international clones, underlining the potential of these isolates to act as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that could be dynamically exchanged between clinical and environmental settings through mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as the pMAL1 plasmids and the critical role of WWTPs in the persistence and spread of A. baumannii. Moreover, our study presents the first report of the co-occurrence of blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-72 in A. baumannii ST2 clone. Thus, our research underscores the necessity for integrated surveillance and targeted interventions across healthcare and environmental sectors to mitigate the risk posed by this adaptable pathogen.
