Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Genetic Characterization and Spread in Lithuania in 2014, 2016, and 2018

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents plays an important role in the treatment of bacterial infections in healthcare institutions. The spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria can occur during inter- and intra-hospital transmissions among patients and hospital personnel. For this reason, more studies must be conducted to understand how resistance occurs in bacteria and how it moves between hospitals by comparing data from different years and looking out for any patterns that might emerge. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter spp. was studied at 14 healthcare institutions in Lithuania during 2014, 2016, and 2018 using samples from human bloodstream infections. In total, 194 isolates were collected and identified using MALDI-TOF and VITEK2 analyzers as Acinetobacter baumannii group bacteria. After that, the isolates were analyzed for the presence of different resistance genes (20 genes were analyzed) and characterized by using the Rep-PCR and MLVA (multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis) genotyping methods. The results of the study showed the relatedness of the different Acinetobacter spp. isolates and a possible circulation of resistance genes or profiles during the different years of the study. This study provides essential information, such as variability and diversity of resistance genes, genetic profiling, and clustering of isolates, to better understand the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Acinetobacter spp. These results can be used to strengthen the control of multidrug-resistant infections in healthcare institutions and to prevent potential outbreaks of this pathogen in the future.

Associations between β-Lactamase Types of Acinetobacter baumannii and Antimicrobial Resistance

“…The number of cases of bacterial nosocomial infections resistant to antimicrobial agents has increased worldwide over the last decade [ 4 ]. A. baumannii is considered one of the most important causes of antimicrobial resistance in health care facilities.…”

“…A. baumannii is considered one of the most important causes of antimicrobial resistance in health care facilities. A. baumannii strains cause outbreaks around the world due to their remarkable ability to adapt to the changes in the environment and to acquire different resistance mechanisms against multiple antimicrobials [ 4 ]. This study aimed to determine the types of β -lactamases and their combinations produced by MDR A. baumannii strains.…”

“…The ability of the microorganism to survive in various environmental conditions and to last longer on wet or dry surfaces has turned it into an endemic, health care–associated pathogen and a common cause of infection outbreaks [ 2 , 3 ]. People who have a weakened immune system, chronic lung disease, or diabetes are at a greater risk of being more susceptible to A. baumannii –caused infections, especially patients with a prolonged hospital stay, those with open wounds, or anyone with urinary or other catheters [ 4 ].…”

Molecular typing and antibiotic resistance patterns among clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii recovered from burn patients in Tehran, Iran

“…In a study conducted in Lithuania, it was found that there is no relationship between the specific years in which the study was conducted and the clustering of the isolates. On the other hand, it was found that most varieties belonged to Abaum_0845 and Abaum_0826 (Kirtikliene et al, 2021). A study conducted by Peerayeh et al showed that different strains are circulating in two Iranian hospitals and the population of XDR A. baumannii in Iranian hospitals is genetically diverse, which necessitates preventive measures and strict control (Najar Peerayeh and Karmostaji, 2015).…”

Molecular epidemiology and molecular typing methods ofAcinetobacter baumannii

“…This study further highlighted the circulation of several AMR genes and the genetic relatedness among various A. baumannii isolates. 72 Notably, according to a PubMed search, there is no available study from India on MLVA-based molecular typing of A. baumannii . However, the molecular epidemiology of 73 CRAB isolates from tertiary care hospitals in Java and Sulawesi islands, Indonesia, was recently determined using MLVA.…”