Inherent colistin resistance in genogroups of the Enterobacter cloacae complex: epidemiological, genetic and biochemical analysis from the BSAC Resistance Surveillance Programme.

BACKGROUND: Polymyxins have re-entered use against problem Gram-negative bacteria. Resistance rates are uncertain, with estimates confounded by selective testing. METHODS: The BSAC Resistance Surveillance Programme has routinely tested colistin since 2010; we reviewed data up to 2017 for relevant Enterobacterales (n = 10 914). Unexpectedly frequent resistance was seen among the Enterobacter cloacae complex isolates (n = 1749); for these, we investigated relationships to species, genome, carbon source utilization and LPS structure. RESULTS: Annual colistin resistance rates among E. cloacae complex isolates were 4.4%-20%, with a rising trend among bloodstream organisms; in contrast, annual rates for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. (including K. aerogenes) generally remained <2%. WGS split the E. cloacae complex isolates into seven genogroup clusters, designated A-G. Among isolates assigned to genogroups A-D, 47/50 sequenced were colistin resistant, and many of those belonging to genogroups A-C identified as E. asburiae. Isolates belonging to genogroups E-G consistently identified as E. cloacae and were rarely (only 3/45 representatives sequenced) colistin resistant. Genogroups F and G, the predominant colistin-susceptible clusters, were metabolically distinct from other clusters, notably regarding utilization or not of l-fucose, formic acid, d-serine, adonitol, myo-inositol, l-lyxose and polysorbates. LPS from resistant organisms grown without colistin pressure lacked substitutions with 4-amino-arabinose or ethanolamine but was more structurally complex, with more molecular species present. CONCLUSIONS: Colistin resistance is frequent in the E. cloacae complex and increasing among bloodstream isolates. It is associated with: (i) particular genomic and metabolic clusters; (ii) identification as E. asburiae; and (iii) with more complex LPS architectures.

Activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam against surveillance and 'problem' Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and non-fermenters from the British Isles.

Background: We assessed the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam against consecutive isolates collected in the BSAC Bacteraemia Surveillance from 2011 to 2015 and against 'problem' isolates sent to the UK national reference laboratory from July 2015, when routine testing began. Methods: Susceptibility testing was by BSAC agar dilution with resistance mechanisms identified by PCR and interpretive reading. Results: Data were reviewed for 6080 BSAC surveillance isolates and 5473 referred organisms. Ceftolozane/tazobactam had good activity against unselected ESBL producers in the BSAC series, but activity was reduced against ertapenem-resistant ESBL producers, which were numerous among reference submissions. AmpC-derepressed Enterobacter spp. were widely resistant, but Escherichia coli with raised chromosomal AmpC frequently remained susceptible, as did Klebsiella pneumoniae with acquired DHA-1-type AmpC. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were mostly resistant, except for ceftazidime-susceptible isolates with OXA-48-like enzymes. Ceftolozane/tazobactam was active against 99.8% of the BSAC Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates; against referred P. aeruginosa it was active against 99.7% with moderately raised efflux, 94.7% with strongly raised efflux and 96.6% with derepressed AmpC. Resistance in P. aeruginosa was largely confined to isolates with metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) or ESBLs. MICs for referred Burkholderia spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were 2-4-fold lower than those of ceftazidime. Conclusions: Ceftolozane/tazobactam is active against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae; gains against other problem Enterobacteriaceae groups were limited. Against P. aeruginosa it overcame the two most prevalent mechanisms (up-regulated efflux and derepressed AmpC) and was active against 51.9% of isolates non-susceptible to all other ß-lactams, rising to 80.9% if ESBL and MBL producers were excluded.

Genomic sequences of Streptococcus agalactiae with high-level gentamicin resistance, collected in the BSAC bacteraemia surveillance.

Background: Like other streptococci, Streptococcus agalactiae typically has intrinsic low-level aminoglycoside resistance. High-level gentamicin resistance was seen in 2 of 1125 isolates collected in the BSAC Bacteraemia Surveillance Programme between 2001 and 2014. These organisms, both isolated in 2014, were characterized. Methods: Identifications were by latex agglutination, MICs by BSAC agar dilution and sequencing by Illumina methodology. Results: Gentamicin MICs were >1024 mg/L versus a species mode of 8 mg/L; both isolates also were unusually ciprofloxacin resistant with MICs of 64 mg/L versus a species mode of 1 mg/L. They were distinct by sequence, but both belonged to the ST19 clone, which occurs globally. Both had aac(6')-aph(2″), carried by different transposons, explaining their gentamicin resistance, and had gyrA[81:S-L];parC[79:S-Y], accounting for ciprofloxacin resistance. Conclusions: These are the first multiresistant S. agalactiae with the bifunctional AAC(6')-APH(2″) enzyme to be reported in the UK for >10 years. Despite belonging to the same clonal complex, the two isolates and their resistance transposons were distinct. Both retained full susceptibility to penicillin, but any penicillin/gentamicin synergy is likely to be lost.

Notification of bacterial strains made available by the United Kingdom National Collection of Type Cultures in 2022.

Here, we report on the one hundred and twenty-five bacterial strains made available by the National Collection of Type Cultures in 2022 alongside a commentary on the strains, their provenance and significance.

Activity of BAL30072 alone or combined with ß-lactamase inhibitors or with meropenem against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenters.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the activity of BAL30072, a dihydroxypyridone monosulfactam, against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenters (i) alone, (ii) combined with BAL29880 (to inhibit AmpC) and/or clavulanate [to inhibit extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs)] and (iii) combined 1:1 with meropenem. METHODS: Isolates were from multiple UK hospitals. MICs were determined by CLSI agar dilution. Carbapenemases were identified by PCR and sequencing. RESULTS: BAL30072 inhibited 69% of the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae at ≤4 mg/L, including 60%-87% with OXA-48, IMP, NDM and VIM enzymes or combinations of impermeability with AmpC or ESBL, and 40% with KPC enzymes. The proportions susceptible exceeded 90% for BAL30072+BAL29880+clavulanate, except for isolates with KPC carbapenemases, where members of the international sequence type (ST) 258 Klebsiella pneumoniae clone remained resistant. At 4 mg/L, BAL30072 was active against all OprD-deficient Pseudomonas aeruginosa, against 8/12 with efflux-type ß-lactam resistance and 19/25 with metallo-carbapenemases; these proportions were little increased if inhibitors were added. Most Acinetobacter baumannii with OXA or NDM carbapenemases were susceptible to BAL30072 alone at ≤4 mg/L, but those with OXA-58 were resistant, probably for reasons other than their ß-lactamase. Addition of meropenem to BAL30072 increased activity against some individual isolates, but with little clear relationship to the resistance mechanism, except for consistent potentiation against OprD-deficient P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSIONS: BAL30072 had good activity against many diverse carbapenem resistance types. Adding clavulanate and/or BAL29880 extended activity against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, but not non-fermenters. Adding meropenem resulted in small increases in activity against individual isolates. Resistance remained common in the K. pneumoniae ST258 KPC clone, even with both inhibitors or meropenem added.

In vitro activity of telavancin and comparators against selected groups of Gram-positive cocci.

Telavancin is a novel, rapidly cidal, dual-action glycopeptide. This study examined its in vitro activity against relevant Gram-positive pathogens, comprising 99 meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 40 meticillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), 79 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), 45 Enterococcus faecalis, 60 Enterococcus faecium, 40 ß-haemolytic streptococci and 60 Streptococcus pneumoniae. Except with VanA enterococci, telavancin MICs were tightly clustered and unimodal. Telavancin MICs for staphylococci ranged from ≤0.03 mg/L to 0.5mg/L, with no shift for MRSA or MSSA in relation to vancomycin MIC. Nevertheless, and independently of species, CoNS with raised vancomycin MICs had reduced susceptibility to telavancin, however this was much more marked for teicoplanin. Modal telavancin MICs were 0.5mg/L and ≤0.03 mg/L for glycopeptide-susceptible E. faecalis and E. faecium, respectively, with no rise for VanB isolates, but ranges rose to 4-16 mg/L and 1-4 mg/L for VanA isolates, respectively. Streptococci were consistently susceptible, with MICs of ≤0.06 mg/L. Telavancin MICs by Etest agreed within 1 doubling dilution with those found previously by BSAC agar dilution in 96.2% of cases, although with slight bias towards lower values. In the few cases (13/345) where telavancin MICs by Etest were ≥2 doubling dilutions different from those by agar dilution, the Etest value was always lower; this effect was greater for the other antibiotics tested. Telavancin had excellent activity, except against enterococci with VanA, with no erosion of this activity against MRSA with raised vancomycin MICs. MICs by Etest were nearly always within 1 dilution of those by BSAC agar dilution.