The Emergence of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Producing GIM-1 and SIM-1 Clinical Isolates in Khartoum-Sudan

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to detect multidrug resistant GIM-1 and SIM-1 producing Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates from hospitalized patients across three Khartoum State Teaching Hospitals, Sudan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From May 2018 to October 2019, Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates from inpatients admitted to different Khartoum state hospitals. Genes for carbapenemase (GIM-1 and SIM-1) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Agar dilution method was used to determine MICs for imipenem and meropenem after antimicrobial susceptibility testing. RESULTS: Five (1.29%) isolates of Enterobacteriaceae [2 (0.51%) Escherichia coli isolates produce GIM-1, 2 (0.51%) Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates (one [0.25%] of each produce of GIM-1 and of SIM-1), and 1 (0.25%) Enterobacter cloacae isolate produce GIM-1]. Susceptibility profiling of the isolates showed a low-level resistance to imipenem and meropenem MICs (8, 16 and 32 μg/mL). It also had resistance to ampicillin, extended-spectrum cephalosporin’s, aztreonam, and amoxicillin-clavulanate and with the two K. pneumoniae strains showing resistance to colistin. CONCLUSION: We report the emergence of four GIM-1 producing Enterobacteriaceae strains and one strain of SIM-1 producing K. pneumoniae genes, isolated from hospitalized patients, with a high resistance pattern to antimicrobial agents. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is necessary for precise identification of clonal diversity backgrounds of acquired carbapenemase genes in diagnostic laboratories as the number of cases of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection increases annually.