Molecular surveillance of multidrug-resistant Gramnegative bacteria in Ukrainian patients, Germany, March to June 2022

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainians have been seeking shelter in other European countries. Aim: We aimed to investigate the prevalence and the molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDRGN) bacteria and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Ukrainian patients at admittance to the University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany. Methods: We performed screening and observational analysis of all patients from March until June 2022. Genomes of MDRGN isolates were analysed for antimicrobial resistance, virulence genes and phylogenetic relatedness. Results: We included 103 patients (median age: 39 +/- 23.7 years), 57 of whom were female ( 55.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 45.2-5.1). Patients were most frequently admitted to the Department of Paediatrics (29/103; 28.2%; 95% CI: 19.7-37.9). We found 34 MDRGN isolates in 17 of 103 patients (16.5%; 95% CI: 9.9-25.1). Ten patients carried 21 carbapenem-resistant (CR) bacteria, five of them more than one CR isolate. Four of six patients with war-related injuries carried eight CR isolates. In six of 10 patients, CR isolates caused infections. Genomic characterisation revealed that the CR isolates harboured at least one carbapenemase gene, bla NDM-1 being the most frequent (n = 10). Core genome and plasmid analysis revealed no epidemiological connection between most of these isolates. Hypervirulence marker genes were found in five of six Klebsiella pneumoniae CR isolates. No MRSA was found. Conclusion: Hospitals should consider infection control strategies to cover the elevated prevalence of MDRGN bacteria in Ukrainian patients with war-related injuries and/or hospital pretreatment and to prevent the spread of hypervirulent CR isolates.

Automated summary

Since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukrainians have been seeking refuge in other European countries. A study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Ukrainian patients admitted to a hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. The study found a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in Ukrainian patients, particularly those with war-related injuries, and recommended infection control strategies to prevent the spread of hypervirulent isolates.