Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yanping Xu, Jianfeng Zhang, Meng Wang, Meng Liu, Guitian Liu, Hongping Qu, Jialin Liu, Zixin Deng, Jingyong Sun, Hong-Yu Ou, Jieming Qu
Summary: This study revealed that a nonconjugative virulence plasmid in ST11 CRKP strains can potentially be mobilized from hvKP or E. coli intermediates with the assistance of conjugative IncF plasmids. The virulence plasmid can be mobilized in four modes, and most putative helper plasmids and virulence plasmids carry a specific 28-bp fusion site. This highlights the rapid dissemination of virulence plasmids and the continuous emergence of hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (hv-CRKP) strains.
Article
Immunology
Dakang Hu, Yuming Li, Ping Ren, Dongxing Tian, Wenjie Chen, Pan Fu, Weiwen Wang, Xiaobin Li, Xiaofei Jiang
Summary: The positive rates of virulence genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae vary significantly, with iucA, p-rmpA2, and p-rmpA being the primary genes leading to Hv-bla (KPC)(+)-KP. The formation of Hv-bla (KPC)(+)-KP is mostly due to bla (KPC)(+)-KP acquiring another plasmid carrying virulence genes.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Xuemei Yang, Xiaoxuan Liu, Yating Xu, Edward Wai-Chi Chan, Rong Zhang, Sheng Chen
Summary: This study identified a transferable conjugative plasmid carrying azithromycin resistance genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae, which could be transmitted to Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, resulting in azithromycin resistance. In addition, the plasmid could assist in the transfer of a virulence plasmid carried by the K. pneumoniae strain to other bacteria, facilitating the dissemination of these determinants.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Qiwei Chen, Lizhang Liu, Xiaofang Hu, Xu Jia, Xiaowei Gong, Youjun Feng, Man Huang
Summary: The study focuses on the diversity of KPC-2-producing plasmids in highly transmissible ST11 clones of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP). The researchers report a clinical case of a rare ST437 CRKP isolate, K186, which produces KPC-2. Whole-genome sequencing revealed three distinct resistance plasmids, one of which, pK186_KPC, is a small IncN-type plasmid of 26,012bp. The study further suggests that the carbapenem-resistant pK186_KPC might have arisen from the integration of ancestral IncN and IncFII plasmids.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Min Xu, Jun Zhao, Li Xu, Qing Yang, Hao Xu, Haishen Kong, Jianying Zhou, Yiqi Fu
Summary: This study identified conjugative plasmid-mediated bla(CMY-172) as a new mechanism for CAZ/AVI resistance in clinical KPC-Kp strains. Careful monitoring of CAZ/AVI susceptibility is crucial to prevent the spread of the resistance gene.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Xuemei Yang, Qiaoling Sun, Jiaping Li, Yu Jiang, Yi Li, Jianping Lin, Kaichao Chen, Edward Wai-Chi Chan, Rong Zhang, Sheng Chen
Summary: The epidemiological features and potential threat to human health of the newly emerged carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-HvKP) are currently unknown. This study analyzed 784 CRKP strains collected from three hospitals in China and found that the proportion of CRKP strains among clinical K. pneumoniae strains increased sharply. A significant number of these CRKP strains carried a virulence-encoding plasmid, but only a small percentage exhibited a hypervirulent phenotype. Genetic markers were not strongly correlated with hypervirulent phenotypes, indicating that additional factors may contribute to the hypervirulence of CRKP. The transmission of these CRKP strains in China likely involved multiple clones of ST11 and the major mechanism of carbapenem resistance was the carriage of IncFII pSWU01-like, bla (KPC-2)-bearing plasmids. These findings highlight the rapid increase in prevalence of CRKP strains carrying virulence plasmids in China and the need for better definition and screening of truly hypervirulent CR-HvKP strains in clinical settings.
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaoli Wang, Bin Tang, Guitian Liu, Meng Wang, Jingyong Sun, Ruoming Tan, Tingting Pan, Jieming Qu, Jialin Liu, Hong-Yu Ou, Hongping Qu
Summary: Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a critical challenge to clinical and public health due to the global spread of conjugative and nonconjugative plasmids associated with carbapenem-resistant, hypervirulent, and even dual-resistant and hypervirulent strains. This study identified a clinically significant CRKP strain and demonstrated the high conjugation ability of its IncN3 plasmid, which can mobilize nonconjugative virulence or resistance plasmids. The findings suggest a need for further monitoring of the transmission of pathogenicity and genetic evolution of carbapenem-resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strains.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Xuemei Yang, Xiaoxuan Liu, Edward Wai-Chi Chan, Rong Zhang, Sheng Chen
Summary: Klebsiella pneumoniae has become a major bacterial pathogen in hospitals, with a high mortality rate. Factors contributing to its virulence are the overproduction of capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and the hypermucoviscosity (HMV) phenotype. This study investigated the functional characteristics of plasmid-borne rmp homologues in clinical hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strains. The results showed that the rmp homologues play a key role in regulating the HMV phenotype and CPS production in K. pneumoniae.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Longyang Jin, Ruobing Wang, Hua Gao, Qi Wang, Hui Wang
Summary: The study characterized a hybrid plasmid pCRHV-C2244 carrying bla(KPC-2) and virulence traits from a clinical ST11-K64 CRKP strain, which was non-self-transmissible but mobilizable with a conjugative helper. Enhanced virulence and stable maintenance without significant fitness loss in its original host were confirmed in vitro and in vivo.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xuemei Yang, Ning Dong, Xiaoxuan Liu, Chen Yang, Lianwei Ye, Edward Wai-Chi Chan, Rong Zhang, Sheng Chen
Summary: Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains with a transmissible virulence plasmid and multiple drug resistance genes pose a significant threat to human health. Co-transmission of virulence and resistance plasmids can convert classic K. pneumoniae strains into CR-HvKP strains, leading to a sharp increase in their prevalence in clinical settings.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yao Zhai, Daixi Li, Pengcheng Du, Zhao Zhang, Zilong He, Yatao Guo, Yusheng Chen, Yu Kang, Songnian Hu, Zhancheng Gao
Summary: The study identified two new KPC-harbouring plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a hospital in Fujian, China. These plasmids carried multiple antibiotic resistance genes and were mainly found in sequence type 11 K. pneumoniae isolates. Analysis indicated a high level of similarity among the sequenced isolates, suggesting potential clonal dissemination of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae. The study highlights the importance of plasmid analysis in monitoring and controlling antibiotic resistance spread.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Rushuang Yan, Ye Lu, Yiwei Zhu, Peng Lan, Shengnan Jiang, Jun Lu, Ping Shen, Yunsong Yu, Jiancang Zhou, Yan Jiang
Summary: The study characterized a carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent K. pneumoniae isolate from Zhejiang, China, demonstrating resistance to multiple antibiotics and harboring a bla (KPC-2) carrying plasmid. Transfer of the plasmid to P. aeruginosa was shown to confer carbapenem resistance, posing a serious threat to public health.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ying Zhou, Chunyang Wu, Bingjie Wang, YanLei Xu, Huilin Zhao, Yinjuan Guo, Xiaocui Wu, Jingyi Yu, Lulin Rao, Xinyi Wang, Fangyou Yu
Summary: This study found that high-virulence K. pneumoniae strains (KL1/KL2) have lower resistance to antibiotics compared to carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains (CRKP). It also discovered that the pLVPK-like virulence plasmid and IncF blaKPC-2 plasmid are crucial for the formation of hypervirulent and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae.
DRUG RESISTANCE UPDATES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wilson H. W. Chu, Yi Han Tan, Si Yin Tan, Yahua Chen, Melvin Yong, David C. Lye, Shirin Kalimuddin, Sophia Archuleta, Yunn-Hwen Gan
Summary: Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae causes liver abscess and potential metastatic complications. We discovered a protein, IroP, on the virulence plasmid that suppresses the expression of type 3 fimbriae. Iron regulates hypermucoid capsule production and inversely regulates type 3 fimbriae expression through IroP. This plasmid-chromosomal cross talk confers an evolutionary advantage and contributes to the pathogen's success.
Article
Microbiology
Lina Liu, Yu Feng, Li Wei, Yuling Xiao, Zhiyong Zong
Summary: A carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) clinical strain carrying a novel bla(OXA-926) gene and belonging to the rare ST29 type was isolated from patient blood. The strain harbored a 94.9-kb self-transmissible IncFII plasmid with bla(KPC-2). Phylogenomic analysis of the ST29 complex identified 157 genomes. This complex is commonly linked to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-encoding genes, particularly bla(CTX-M-15), but rarely carries carbapenemase genes. The novel plasmid-borne beta-lactamase bla(OXA-926) confers reduced susceptibility to specific beta-lactams and does not fully respond to avibactam, suggesting its potential origin from a species related to Variovorax guangxiensis >10 years ago.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)