Clinical and Genomic Characteristics of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Acute Pancreatitis with Infection in China.

Background: The aim of the study was to provide a clinical treatment reference for acute pancreatitis (AP) with infection, we analyzed the clinical and genomic characteristic of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates from AP with infection in China.

Methods: Our clinical database was retrospectively analyzed with focus on the carbapenem-resistant characteristics among AP with infection in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to analyze the antibiotic resistance gene, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed to study the relevant phenotype in vitro. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to verify the relevant phenotype.

Results: Based on 2,211 AST data of 627 AP patients with infection, CRKP had the highest proportion among carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), at 37.8% for imipenem and 45.3% for meropenem. WGS revealed key β-lactamase genes, specifically blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-65, blaKPC-2, blaLAP-2, blaNDM-5, blaTEM-181, blaOXA-1, and blaSHV. A total of 31.3% of CRKP were NDM-5-KPC-2-producing strains, and NDM-5-producing CRKP was resistant to imipenem/meropenem combined with avibactam, with an MIC of 512 mg/L. In addition, after knocking out blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-5, NDM-5-producing and KPC-2-producing CRKP had the same resistance level to imipenem/ meropenem.

Conclusions: We first provided key insights into the clinical and genomic characteristic of CRKP in AP with infection and then made it clear that NDM-5 and KPC-2 had the same resistance level to carbapenems.