Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing FIM-1-metallo-β-lactamase: emergence and cross-transmission in a long-term acute care rehabilitation hospital

Abstract

FIM-1 metallo-β-lactamase was previously detected in sporadic Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. Here, we report on FIM-1-positive P. aeruginosa from two patients who had shared the same ward in a long-term acute care rehabilitation hospital. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed close relatedness of these isolates, which belonged to an ST235 sublineage (clade 8/14) different from those previously reported. Results highlighted the occurrence of clonal diversity among FIM-positive strains and the possibility of their cross-transmission in some healthcare settings.

Keywords: ICE; P. aeruginosa; ST235; class B carbapenemase.

Fig 1

Comparative core genome analysis of bla_FIM-1-positive P. aeruginosa strains investigated in this study (FI-26059 and FIDG-26323), with representative members of the ST235 lineage listed in Table S1 (3), including also other bla_FIM-1-positive P. aeruginosa strains (circled in red).

Fig 2

Comparative analysis of ICE7705.1 from the FI-14/157 FIM-1 index strain (2), with the ICE7705-like elements from the FIDG-26323 and FI-26059 P. aeruginosa strains. ICE7705.1 and ICE7705.3 are aligned as direct strands, while the ΔICE7705.4 is aligned as a complementary strand. The chromosomal regions flanking the insertion sites are also shown in black. The ICE backbone regions are shown in orange, while the FIM-ISCR19 modules are in light green, the flanking integrons are in red, the mer operon is in yellow, and the prophages flanking the ICEs are in blue.