TITLE:
Prevalence and Study of the Clonality of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains in Neonatology at the University Hospitals of Abidjan by the Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis and the Quantitative Antibiogram
AUTHORS:
Valérie M’Bengue Gbonon, Sidjè Arlette Afran, Stanislas Assohoun Egomli, Djeda Franck Arnaud Gnahoré, Aboubakar Sylla, N’Golo David Coulibaly, Nathalie Guessennd, Assanvo Simon-Pierre N’Guetta, Mireille Dosso
KEYWORDS:
Resistance-Clone-Klebsiella pneumoniae-Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis-Quantitative Antibiogram
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
11,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: ESBL-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, one of the main causes of nosocomial and hospital-acquired infections, are commonly associated with therapeutic impasses. Surveillance of these multidrug-resistant pathogens is a crucial tool for controlling and preventing infections. This surveillance involves the use of appropriate molecular and phenotypic typing techniques. The choice of techniques is based on criteria such as discriminatory power, intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility, epidemiological concordance, ease of use and cost. The aim of our study was to identify clusters of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-K. pneumoniae) strains circulating in neonatology using quantitative antibiogram (QA) and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 55 K. pneumoniae strains isolated from a total of 513 samples. These various samples are taken from newborns, healthcare personnel, and the environment. K. pneumoniae identification followed standard bacteriological procedures and was confirmed using the Vitek® 2 (bioMérieux). The detection of the ESBL phenotype was performed using the synergy test. QA and PFGE were used to identify clonal relationships between the various strains isolated. Concordance between these two methods was assessed by calculating Cohen’s KAPPA coefficient and Simpson’s diversity index. Results: Among the 55 K. pneumoniae strains included in this study, 58.2% (32/55) were found to be Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producers. Most of these strains were isolated from neonatal samples (blood samples and rectal swabs). The quantitative antibiogram method applied to 28 out of the 32 ESBL-producing strains revealed that the isolates were grouped into 5 clusters. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis performed on a total of 16 ESBL-producing strains showed the existence of four profiles. A perfect concordance was observed between the two methods. Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted the existence of clonal strains of various origins within neonatology units.