Pathogenicity of clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in a Galleria mellonella host model according to bla(OXA-40) gene and epidemiological outbreak status.

ABSTRACT

Clinical studies have suggested that blaOXA-40-positive Acinetobacter baumannii isolates are associated with poor patient outcomes; however, reasons for unfavorable outcomes are difficult to discern in clinical studies. The objective of this study was to assess the virulence of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii according to blaOXA-40 and epidemiological outbreak status in a Galleria mellonella model. Eight isolates of A. baumannii were studied. Nonoutbreak isolates and blaOXA-40-negative isolates more rapidly killed infected G. mellonella (P < 0.01).