Molecular characterization of consecutive isolates of OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: changes in the virulome using next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Little is known about the clonality of consecutive OXA-48 producing-Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the same patient and the possibility of changes in their virulomes over time. We studied the molecular characteristics of twenty OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae consecutive isolates from six patients using whole-genome sequencing. The genomes were screened for antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor genes and for replicon groups. MLST and SNPs analysis was performed. MLST analysis found 3 STs: ST11 (n = 13; 65.0%); ST4975 (n = 5, 25.0%); ST307 (n = 2; 10.0%). AcrAb efflux pump, siderophore enterobactin and rcsAB capsule synthesis regulator were detected in all sequenced isolates. The regulator of mucoid phenotype A (rmpA) and rmpA2 were not detected. Isolates also carried type 3 fimbriae (n = 19; 95.0%), yersiniabactin (n = 15; 75.0%) and type 1 fimbriae (7; 35.0%). Type 3 fimbriae and yersiniabactin were lost and recovered in consecutive isolates of two patients, probably acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Our findings reveal that recurrent infections are due to the same isolate, with an average of 2.69 SNPs per month, with different virulence profiles, and that the acquisition of virulence factor genes over time is possible.