A recent study published in the journal Nature Communications has shed light on a new genetic mechanism that allows antimicrobial resistance to spread among lethal bacteria. The researchers from the University at Albany analyzed genome sequences of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterium responsible for blood infections and urinary tract infections globally.
The study found that plasmids, mobile genetic structures carrying multiple resistance genes, play a crucial role in transmitting these genes to other bacteria. This mechanism enables the evolution of a stronger and more resilient bacterial population, making it challenging to treat infections with once-effective antibiotics.
The researchers analyzed 136 K. pneumoniae isolates from adult and pediatric patients over a five-year period, identifying 94 distinct genetic sequences and 64 unique genes encoding resistance to ten antimicrobial drug classes. They also found nearly genetically identical plasmids carrying multiple antibiotic-resistance genes in different patient samples separated by two years.
This discovery will inform strategies for public health interventions aimed at controlling the spread of high-risk bacterial clones. The study highlights the importance of continued surveillance and further genomic epidemiological studies to deepen our understanding of plasmid-facilitated antimicrobial resistance.
As noted by Distinguished Professor Marlene Belfort, “Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat… It’s thought that antimicrobial resistance is an equivalent threat to humankind as climate change and world hunger.” Understanding the mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance spreads among K. pneumoniae is crucial for developing treatments against dangerous resistant strains.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-genome-sequence-analysis-driver-antimicrobial.html