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Molecular analysis of population structure and antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella isolates from a three-year surveillance program in Florence hospitals, Italy

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Abstract

We report the results of a three-year surveillance program of Klebsiella spp. in six hospitals in Florence (Italy). A total of 172 Klebsiella isolates were identified and typed by AFLP: 122 were K. pneumoniae and 50 were K. oxytoca. Most K. pneumoniae (80%) and K. oxytoca (93%) showed unrelated AFLP profiles. Beside this heterogeneous population structure, we found five small epidemic clonal groups of K. pneumoniae. Four of these groups were involved in outbreak events, three of which occurred in neonatal ICUs. The fifth clonal group spread in three different wards of two hospitals. Only one non-epidemic clonal group of K. oxytoca was detected. The frequencies of isolates with multiple antibiotic resistances increased with time; at the end of the study period, most K. pneumoniae were resistant to all the antibiotics tested. A PCR analysis of seven ertapenem resistant isolates was unable to detect any of the major genes known to underlie carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from Regione Toscana.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIBIACI and Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Florence, Via Romana 17/19, 50125, Florence, Italy

    F. Donnarumma, C. Indorato, G. Mastromei, E. Goti & E. Casalone

  2. Laboratory of Microbiology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    P. Nicoletti & P. Pecile

  3. Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Haematology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    R. Fanci & A. Bosi

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  1. F. Donnarumma
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Correspondence to E. Casalone.

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Donnarumma, F., Indorato, C., Mastromei, G. et al. Molecular analysis of population structure and antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella isolates from a three-year surveillance program in Florence hospitals, Italy. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 371–378 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1319-6

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