Emergence of OXA-48-producing in Lithuania, 2023: a multi-cluster, multi-hospital outbreak.

In 2023, an increase of OXA-48-producing was noticed by the Lithuanian National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 106 OXA-48-producing isolates revealed three distinct clusters of carbapenemase-producing high-risk clones, including sequence type (ST) 45 (n = 35 isolates), ST392 (n = 32) and ST395 (n = 28), involving six, six and nine hospitals in different regions, respectively. These results enabled targeted investigation and control, and underscore the value of national WGS-based surveillance for antimicrobial resistance.