Double Copies of bla_KPC-3::Tn4401a on an IncX3 Plasmid in Klebsiella pneumoniae Successful Clone ST512 from Italy

ABSTRACT

A carbapenem-resistant sequence type 512 (ST512) Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase 3 (KPC-3)-producing K. pneumoniae strain showing a novel variant plasmid content was isolated in Palermo, Italy, in 2014. ST512 is a worldwide successful clone associated with the spread of bla_KPC genes located on the IncFIIk pKpQIL plasmid. In our ST512 strain, the bla_KPC-3 gene was unusually located on an IncX3 plasmid, whose complete sequence was determined. Two copies of bla_KPC-3::Tn4401a caused by intramolecular transposition events were detected in the plasmid.