Rapid molecular technique analysis of a KPC-3-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak in an Italian surgery unit

Authors: Mazzariol, A; Lo Cascio, G; Ballarini, P; Ligozzi, M; Soldani, F; Fontana, R; Cornaglia, G

Source: Journal of Chemotherapy, Volume 24, Number 2, April 2012 , pp. 93-96(4)

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Abstract:

The rapid emergence of KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae has become a serious problem in health-care settings, increasing in frequency worldwide. These infections are worrisome, since the antimicrobial treatment options for infections due to multidrug-resistant strains are very limited, and outbreaks must be rapidly detected and controlled. A semi-automated, repetitive-sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) instrument (DiversiLab system) was evaluated in comparison with the pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing to investigate the outbreak of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae in a surgery unit at the University Hospital of Verona, Italy, as a rapid method for outbreak investigations. A selection of seven epidemiologically related K. pneumoniae showing resistance to carbapenem and three epidemiologically unrelated K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from patient with hospital-acquired infection. Among the epidemiologically related isolates, PFGE and Rep-PCR identified a unique pattern with more than 90% of homology. The concordance between DiversiLab and PFGE results confirmed the usefulness of rapid molecular techniques to investigate outbreaks due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. Moreover, this result could meet the international need for a harmonised typing tool, allowing the implementation of strict control measures to prevent dissemination of these organisms in health-care settings.

Keywords: DiversiLab; KPC; beta-lactamases

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/1120009X12Z.00000000020

Affiliations: Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona, Italy

Publication date: 2012-04-01

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