Antimicrobial resistance determinants in imipenem-nonsusceptible Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex isolated in Daejeon, Korea.

Background: Members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb) complex are important opportunistic bacterial pathogens and present significant therapeutic challenges in the treatment of nosocomial infections. In the present study, we investigated the integrons and various genes involved in resistance to carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones in 56 imipenem-nonsusceptible Acb complex isolates.

Methods: This study included 44 imipenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii, 10 Acinetobacter genomic species 3, and 2 Acinetobacter genomic species 13TU strains isolated in Daejeon, Korea. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by Etest. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to identify the genes that potentially contribute to each resistance phenotype.

Results: All A. baumannii isolates harbored the bla(OXA-51)-like gene, and 21 isolates (47.7%) co-produced OXA-23. However, isolates of Acinetobacter genomic species 3 and 13TU only contained bla(IMP-1) or bla(VIM-2). Most Acb complex isolates (94.6%) harbored class 1 integrons, armA, and/or aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs). Of particular note was the fact that armA and aph(3')-Ia were only detected in A. baumannii isolates, which were highly resistant to amikacin (MIC(50)≥256) and gentamicin (MIC(50)≥1,024). In all 44 A. baumannii isolates, resistance to fluoroquinolones was conferred by sense mutations in the gyrA and parC. However, sense mutations in parC were not found in Acinetobacter genomic species 3 or 13TU isolates.

Conclusions: Several differences in carbapenem, aminoglycoside, and fluoroquinolone resistance gene content were detected among Acb complex isolates. However, most Acb complex isolates (87.5%) possessed integrons, carbapenemases, AMEs, and mutations in gyrA. The co-occurrence of several resistance determinants may present a significant threat.