Presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates possessing bla_VIM-1 in Greece

Abstract 

Amongst nalidixic acid-resistant, ciprofloxacin-susceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates recovered over a 5-month period from inpatients and outpatients of Attikon University General Hospital (Athens, Greece), only one E. coli was positive for qnrB2 and one K. pneumoniae was positive for qnrA1. Both isolates were extended-spectrum β-lactamase-negative, metallo-β-lactamase-positive and carried the bla_VIM-1 gene. Neither of the isolates had mutations in gyrA and parC or carried aac(6′)-Ib-cr or qepA. The K. pneumoniae isolate also harboured bla_CMY-13 on the same transferable plasmid with qnrA1. This is the first report of a qnrA1-positive K. pneumoniae and qnrB2-positive E. coli harbouring a concurrent bla_VIM-1 gene.

Keywords: Fluoroquinolones, qnr, Metallo-β-lactamase, CMY-13