ABSTRACT
Genome sequencing of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from regional U.S. hospitals was used to characterize strain diversity and the blaKPC genetic context. A phylogeny based on core single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) supports a division of sequence type 258 (ST258) into two distinct groups. The primary differences between the groups are in the capsular polysaccharide locus (cps) and their plasmid contents. A strict association between clade and KPC variant was found. The blaKPC gene was found on variants of two plasmid backbones. This study indicates that highly similar K. pneumoniae subpopulations coexist within the same hospitals over time.
FOOTNOTES
- Received 20 January 2014.
- Returned for modification 23 February 2014.
- Accepted 1 June 2014.
- Accepted manuscript posted online 9 June 2014.
Supplemental material for this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00125-14.
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