AUTHOR=Aslam Bilal , Chaudhry Tamoor Hamid , Arshad Muhammad Imran , Muzammil Saima , Siddique Abu Baker , Yasmeen Nafeesa , Khurshid Mohsin , Amir Afreenish , Salman Muhammad , Rasool Muhammad Hidayat , Xia Xueshan , Baloch Zulqarnain 

TITLE=Distribution and genetic diversity of multi-drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae at the human–animal–environment interface in Pakistan

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.898248

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.898248

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Klebsiella pneumoniae is ubiquitous and known to be a notorious pathogen of humans, animals, and plant-based foods. <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> is a recognized trafficker of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) between and from different ecological niches. A total of 775 samples (<italic>n</italic> = 775) were collected from September 2017 to August 2019 from humans, animals, and environmental sources by applying the random convenient sampling technique. A total of 120 (15.7%) samples were confirmed as <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic>. The distribution of <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> among humans, the environment, and animals was 17.1, 12.38, and 10%, respectively. Isolates have shown significant resistance against all the subjected antibiotics agents except colistin. ARGs profiling revealed that the highest percentage prevalence (67.5%) of <italic>bla</italic><sub><italic>CTX</italic>–<italic>M</italic></sub> was estimated in the isolates, and various carbapenem resistance genes that were found in the study were <italic>bla</italic><sub><italic>NDM</italic>–1</sub> (43.3%), <italic>bla</italic><sub><italic>OXA</italic>–48</sub> (38%), and (1.67%) <italic>bla</italic><sub><italic>KPC</italic>–2</sub>. Overall, 21 distinct sequence types (ST) and 13 clonal complexes (CCs) were found through the multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Taking together, the distribution of multi-drug resistance (MDR) <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> clones in the  community and associated environment is alarming for the health care system of the country. Health policymakers should consider the role of all the integral parts of humans, animals, and the associated environment intently to cope with this serious public and animal health concern.</p>