Clonal diversity of Acinetobacter clinical isolates producing NDM-type carbapenemase in Cuba, 2013–19

OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to elucidate the clonal diversity of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter clinical isolates producing NDM-type carbapenemase collected through national surveillance in Cuba during a 7-year period (2013−19). METHODS: A total of 199 isolates of Acinetobacter spp. from 37 hospitals in 12 provinces were genetically analyzed for their species, carbapenemase genes and genotypes. Sequence type (ST) and OXA-51-like gene type were determined for bla(NDM)-positive isolates. RESULTS: Most isolates (95%) were identified as species of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex, with A. baumannii being the majority. Acquired carbapenemase genes were assigned to bla(OXA) or bla(NDM) type; the most commonly detected gene was bla(OXA-23)-like (49%), followed by bla(OXA-24)-like (20%) and bla(NDM) (15%). Twenty-nine bla(NDM)-positive isolates (22 A. baumannii, 2 A. pittii, 2 A. johnsonii, 3 other species) were differentiated into 19 STs, including the most common, ST23. Though NDM genes were mostly typed as bla(NDM-1), a novel bla(NDM-42) was identified in an ST79 A. baumannii isolate. bla(OXA-51-like) genes of NDM-positive A. baumannii were discriminated into 10 OXA types, including 2 novel ones. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated the spread of bla(NDM) to various clones of A. baumannii and other Acinetobacter spp. in Cuba.