Genomic analysis of an extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST312 harboring IncU plasmid-mediated bla KPC-2 isolated from ascitic fluid.

BACKGROUND: The KPC carbapenemase is worldwide disseminated mostly by plasmids. However, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa chromosomal mutations have been more frequently responsible for resistance to carbapenems than the acquisition of mobile elements harboring carbapenemases genes. Indeed, although uncommon, KPC-2-producing P. aeruginosa has appeared more frequently, including in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To report the first genomic analysis of a KPC-2 plasmid-mediated in an extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated in Santa Catarina Brazil.

METHODS: The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI 2020. The genome was sequenced with the Illumina MiSeq platform and the data was analyzed using SPAdes and Prokka. In silico predictions were fulfilled by curated bioinformatics tools.

RESULTS: The P. aeruginosa strain named MIMA_Pa2.1 (JACGTM000000000) was classified as extensively drug-resistant (XDR), belongs to sequence type 312 and express the blaKPC-2 gene located on a small IncU plasmid of 7 975 bp. This plasmid showed 86.3% of identity with a non-conjugative plasmid (KC609322) carrying the blaKPC-2 gene from multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (ST1006) from Colombia isolated in 2006. Besides the blaKPC-2 gene, other resistance genes to β-lactams, aminoglycosides, phenicol, fosfomycin, and quinolones were detected, been the last two also associated with mobile genetic elements other than IncU plasmid here described.

CONCLUSIONS: Our research is the first genomic report of the presence of blaKPC-2 gene carried by Pseudomonas in Southern Brazil, and highlights adaptability of blaKPC-2 gene to different mobile elements. This draft genome might be useful for comparative genomic analyses to monitor the spreading of blaKPC gene plasmid-mediated in P. aeruginosa in Latin America.