621. In vitro Ceftazidime: Avibactam Resistance in Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Isolates

BACKGROUND: Ceftazidime–avibactam (CAZ-AVI) is a new antibiotic with activity against many Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Although CAZ-AVI resistance in CRE has been reported, it is not consistently assessed. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of CAZ-AVI resistance in CRE isolated from patients with and without prior exposure to CAZ-AVI. METHODS: We tested 116 CRE isolates for CAZ-AVI resistance by Kirby–Bauer (KB) disk diffusion susceptibility. Resistant isolates were verified by repeat KB and E-test performed by the Stony Brook Hospital laboratory. The bla(KPC) gene of resistant strains was amplified by PCR and sequenced. Patient data were used to determine whether patients were colonized or infected, and whether they were exposed to CAZ-AVI. RESULTS: Of the 116 CRE isolates from 86 patients (96 encounters), 50% were Klebsiella species, 23.2% were Enterobacter species, 10.3% Escherichia coli and 16.5% other CRE. They were recovered from colonized (37%) and infected (63%) patients of which 18% were treated with CAZ-AVI during their hospitalizations (median duration of therapy, 6 days). Two CRE isolates (1.7%) were found to be resistant on repeated testing. One isolate was K. pneumoniae derived from the sputum of a patient diagnosed with ventilator-associated pneumonia who received 40 days of CAZ-AVI therapy prior to isolation of the resistant isolate (KB diameter 20 mm, MIC > 512 μg/mL by E-Test). Sequencing of the strain’s bla(KPC3) gene revealed a previously described Ambler-position D179Y mutation that has been shown to convey resistance. The second CAZ-AVI-resistant K. pneumoniae (KB diameter 19 mm, MIC 64 μg/mL by E-test) was isolated from the urine of a colonized patient naïve to CAZ-AVI therapy. The strain’s bla(KPC10) gene had no mutations. CONCLUSION: In our strain collection, the rate of resistance to CAZ-AVI remains low <2%. Although we found one mutation (D179Y) previously linked to CAZ-AVI resistance we also discovered one K. pneumoniae isolate with in vitro resistance to CAZ-AVI that did not exhibit any bla(KPC) mutations conveying CAZ-AVI resistance. Interestingly, this strain was derived from a patient with no prior CAZ-AVI exposure. Whole-genome sequencing will be performed to identify other genes or mutations that may confer resistance. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.