Molecular Detection of Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Intensive Care Units

Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying blaKPC, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes are difficult to treat. This study was conducted to study the genotypic features of carbapenem resistance in isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from Intensive care units from a tertiary care Hospital. Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=89) isolates resistant to at least one carbapenem were collected from 377 patients for 24 months. Carbapenem resistance was determined via VITEK-2 system and confirmed my Modified Hodge test. Genes were analyzed using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The rate of resistance by Vitek-2 system for carbapenems was 23.6% and Modified Hodge test against ertapenem was 83% for 89 CRKP isolates. There were 39%, 29% and 46% of isolates positive for blaKPC, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes respectively. The presence of all three genes showed 8.9% positivity. The molecular classification of carbapenemases will be useful for the betterment of patients with concurrent carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections. This could prevent outbreaks and complications in Intensive care units.