Genomic Characterization of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae from Clinical Specimens in Singapore

Abstract

A total of 1,281 specimens from 1,024 patients were screened. Phylogenetic analysis classified 44 of these isolates as Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. <i>similipneumoniae</i> (44/1,281 [3.4%]) and the remaining three as <i>K. quasipneumoniae</i> subsp. <i>quasipneumoniae.</i> The most common specimen source was urine (21/47 [44.7%]) followed by blood (14/47 [29.8%]). <i>K. quasipneumoniae</i> isolates were nonclonal. Carbapenemase-encoding genes (<i>bla</i>_NDM and <i>bla</i>_OXA-181) were detected in only two isolates (2/47 [4.3%]). <i>K. quasipneumoniae</i> appears to cause a spectrum of infections similar to those of K. pneumoniae, although higher rates of susceptibility to many commonly tested antimicrobials and low prevalence of virulence genes were demonstrated.