Unravelling the genomic characteristics of a Klebsiella quasipneumoniae clinical isolate carrying blaNDM-1.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the increasing reports of blaNDM in Enterobacterales in Brazil, comprehensive whole genome sequencing (WGS) data remain scarce. To address this knowledge gap, our study focuses on the characterization of the genome of an New Delhi Metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM)-1-producing Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. quasipneumoniae (KQPN) clinical strain isolated in Brazil. METHODS: The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the A-73.113 strain was performed by agar dilution or broth microdilution following the Brazilian Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Committee/European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing recommendations. WGS was performed using the Illumina® NextSeq platform and the generated reads were assembled using the SPAdes software. The sequences obtained were submitted to the bioinformatics pipelines to determine the sequence type, resistome, plasmidome, and virulome. RESULTS: The A-73.113 strain was identified as KQPN and was susceptible to polymyxins (MICs, ≤0.25 µg/mL), tigecycline (MIC, 0.5 µg/mL), ciprofloxacin (MIC, 0.5 µg/mL), and levofloxacin (MIC, 1 µg/mL). WGS analysis revealed the presence of genes conferring resistance to ß-lactams (blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaOXA-9, blaOKP-A-5, blaTEM-1), aminoglycosides [aph(3')-VI, aadA1, aac(6')-Ib], and fluoroquinolones (oqxAB, qnrS1, aac(6')-Ib-cr]. Additionally, the presence of the plasmid replicons Col(pHAD28), IncFIA(HI1), IncFIB(K) (pCAV1099-114), IncFIB(pQil), and IncFII(K), as well as virulence-encoding genes fimABCDEFGHIK (type 1 fimbria), pilW (type IV pili), iutA (aerobactin), entABCDEFS/fepABCDG/fes (Ent siderophores), iroE (salmochelin), and allABCDRS (allantoin utilization) was verified. Furthermore, we found that the A-73.113 strain belongs to ST1040. CONCLUSIONS: Here we report the genomic characteristics of an NDM-1-producing KQPN ST1040 strain isolated from blood cultures in Brazil. These data will enhance our comprehension of how this species contributes to the acquisition and dissemination of blaNDM-1 in Brazilian nosocomial settings.

Staphylococcus hominis subsp. novobiosepticus strains causing nosocomial bloodstream infection in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To report the isolation of six Staphylococcus hominis subsp. novobiosepticus (SHN) strains from hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections in two Brazilian hospitals and to characterize their susceptibility profile to several antimicrobials. METHODS: Species identification was performed by biochemical methods and sodA gene sequencing. The MICs of antimicrobials were determined by broth and agar dilution methods and by Etest. Isolates were typed by PFGE and PCR amplification was used to detect the ccr gene complex and the mec class. Morphometric evaluation of cell wall was performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: Susceptibility profiles indicated that the majority of isolates (five) were multidrug-resistant. Overlapping and multiplex PCR showed that five out of the six strains harboured SCCmec type III with class A mec and type 3 ccr. The initial vancomycin MIC value of 4 mg/L for these strains increased to 16-32 mg/L after growth for 10 days in BHI broth supplemented with this antimicrobial. TEM indicated that vancomycin resistance was associated with cell wall thickening and to another mechanism not fully elucidated. Only one SHN strain was oxacillin- and vancomycin-susceptible. The nosocomial infections in at least five of the patients from both hospitals were caused by a single clone of SHN. CONCLUSIONS: It is very important to consider SHN strains as the cause of nosocomial infections. The clinical implications resulting from the pattern of multidrug resistance in these strains may be complicated by the emergence of vancomycin resistance.

Draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant Aeromonas hydrophila ST508 strain carrying rmtD and blaCTX-M-131 isolated from a bloodstream infection.

Here we report the draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant (MDR) Aeromonas hydrophila strain belonging to sequence type 508 (ST508) isolated from a human bloodstream infection. Assembly and annotation of this draft genome resulted in 5028498bp and revealed the presence of 16S rRNA methylase rmtD and blaCTX-M-131 genes encoding high-level resistance to aminoglycosides and cephalosporins, respectively, as well as multiple virulence genes. This draft genome can provide significant information for understanding mechanisms on the establishment and treatment of infections caused by this pathogen.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of VanA Enterococcus isolated during the first nosocomial outbreak in Brazil.

We report the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 50 VanA Enterococcus clinical isolates from infected patients and 97 isolates from colonized patients obtained during a nosocomial outbreak in a single hospital in São Paulo, Brazil during 1998. The identification of strains to the species level by conventional biochemical and phenotypic tests and by multiplex PCR assay had 100% agreement. Both E. faecalis and E. faecium were isolated from patients during this outbreak. The vanA genotype was confirmed by PCR. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that E. faecium isolates are generally less susceptible to antibiotics than E. faecalis. By PCR, 24 of 26 VRE strains tested carried the Tn1546 element. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified five distinct patterns for E. faecalis (A, B, C, D, E) and three for E. faecium (M, N, and O). A single PFGE pattern was identified in the majority of strains of each species and does not discriminate between case and carrier isolates.

Glycopeptides susceptibility among enterococci isolated from a poultry farm in São Paulo, Brazil (1996/1997)

Entrococci resistance to glycopeptides was evaluated in Brazilian poultry feed with feed supplemented with avoparcin as growth promoter. The susceptibility to the glycopeptides avoparcin, teicoplanin and vancomycin was determined for 217 enterococci isolated from cloacal swabes (one swab per bird) in tests and controls groups. Tests group comprised three groups (A, B and C) of Hubbard broiler-chickens 14, 21 and 35 days old, respectively. These birds were from one single farm, with a common feed source supplemented with avoparcin (10 mg/kg of feed). Controls groups (1 and 2) comprised 25 and 42 days old broilers, respectively, obtained from the faculty of Veterinary Medicine's aviary (University of São Paulo) where avoparcin was never used. No glycopeptide resistant enterococci strain was found, but and increase of Enterococcus faecium in faeces of chickens fed with avoparcin, independent of the age of the bird, was detected.

O desafio das infecçöes fúngicas oportunistas: editorial / The defy of the oportunistic fungi infections

Dezessete casos de asma ocupacional, investigados através de história clínica, ocupacional e testes de funçäo pulmonar e documentados por registros prolongados do pico de fluxo expiratório (curvas de PFE), säo descritos. As curvas de PFE foram analisadas estatisticamente, testando-se a diferença entre os PFE médios diários nos períodos de trabalho e de afastamento e, subjetivamente, buscando-se padröes típicos de deterioraçäo e recuperaçäo funcional. A análise estatística mostrou diferença e näo-exposiçäo em todos os casos. A avaliaçäo subjetiva das curvas revelou padröes irregulares em sete casos, padröes diários em três, e semanais em sete. As curvas de PFE säo um método acessível, de baixo custo e seguro para o diagnóstico de asma ocupacional. A análise estatística é uma forma mais objetiva de examinar esses registros do que a busca de padröes funcionais típicos

Perfil de DNA cromossômico e sensibilidade à anfotericina B de clones de Candida albicans / Chromosomal DNA profile and susceptibility to amphotericin B of Candida Albicans clones

O perfil de DNA cromossômico e sensibilidade à Anfotericina B foram estudados em cinco clones derivados de diferentes amostras de Candida Albicans.Com base no teste de diluiçäo em ágar, os clones Ca 1.2, Ca 2.4, Ca 3.7 e Ca 5.5 mostraram comportamentos similares frente ao antibiótico.A partir do DNA cromossômico digerido com endonuclease Eco RI, hibridizado com "probe" de DNA A-27, apenas os clones Ca3.7 e o Ca 4.10 mostraram perfis similares.Neste trabalho näo se observou uma clara correlaçäo entre sensibilidade à anfotericina B e perfil de DNA cromossômico.

Epidemiologia das bacteremias em hospital universitário / Epidemiology of bacteremias at a university hospital

O objetivo este estudo é avaliar os aspectos epidemiológicos das bacteremias em um hospital de ensino, levando-se em conta o serviço de internaçäo, idade, sexo e local da aquisiçäo (hospitalar ou comunitária). No período de agosto de 1985 a julho de 1986, a incidência de bacteremias no Hospital Säo Paulo foi de 21,7/1.000 admissöes. Essa taxa reflete, em parte, as características da populaçäo admitida no hospital. A incidência foi maior nos extremos de idade e semelhante em relaçäo à sua distribuiçäo quanto ao sexo. As bacteremias foram, em aproximadamente dois terços dos casos, adquiridos no ambiente hospitalar, sendo 9,1% delas adquiridas em internaçöes prévias em outro hospital. O agente etiológico mais freqüentemente isolado foi o S. aureus. A fonte mais freqüente das bacteremias foi a respiratória, seguida da gastrointestinal e urinária