Wide dissemination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing β-lactamase bla KPC-2 gene in Colombia

Abstract

Ten bla KPC-2-harboring Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from hospitals located in five different Colombian cities have been characterized. Isolates were multidrug resistant, belonged to five different pulsotypes, and possessed naturally chromosome-encoded bla AmpC and bla OXA-50 genes and the acquired bla KPC-2 gene. In most cases, the bla KPC-2 genes were carried by plasmids of different sizes and were associated with Tn4401b or a new structure containing only part of the Tn4401 sequence. This study revealed that several clones of P. aeruginosa producing bla KPC-2 are disseminating in Colombia. Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.