Austin Health

Title
Translating genomics into practice for real-time surveillance and response to carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae: evidence from a complex multi-institutional KPC outbreak.
Publication Date
2018
Author(s)
Kwong, Jason C
Lane, Courtney R
Romanes, Finn
Gonçalves da Silva, Anders
Easton, Marion
Cronin, Katie
Waters, Mary Jo
Tomita, Takehiro
Stevens, Kerrie
Schultz, Mark B
Baines, Sarah L
Sherry, Norelle L
Carter, Glen P
Mu, Andre
Sait, Michelle
Ballard, Susan A
Seemann, Torsten
Stinear, Timothy P
Howden, Benjamin P
Subject
Antimicrobial resistance
Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase
Microbial genomics
Multidrug-resistant organisms
Outbreak investigation
Transmission modelling
Whole-genome sequencing
Type of document
Journal Article
OrcId
0000-0002-0557-0518
0000-0002-7789-8360
0000-0001-6046-610X
0000-0003-0150-123X
DOI
10.7717/peerj.4210
Abstract
Until recently,Klebsiella pneumoniaecarbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae were rarely identified in Australia. Following an increase in the number of incident cases across the state of Victoria, we undertook a real-time combined genomic and epidemiological investigation. The scope of this study included identifying risk factors and routes of transmission, and investigating the utility of genomics to enhance traditional field epidemiology for informing management of established widespread outbreaks. All KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates referred to the state reference laboratory from 2012 onwards were included. Whole-genome sequencing was performed in parallel with a detailed descriptive epidemiological investigation of each case, using Illumina sequencing on each isolate. This was complemented with PacBio long-read sequencing on selected isolates to establish high-quality reference sequences and interrogate characteristics of KPC-encoding plasmids. Initial investigations indicated that the outbreak was widespread, with 86 KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates (K. pneumoniae92%) identified from 35 different locations across metropolitan and rural Victoria between 2012 and 2015. Initial combined analyses of the epidemiological and genomic data resolved the outbreak into distinct nosocomial transmission networks, and identified healthcare facilities at the epicentre of KPC transmission. New cases were assigned to transmission networks in real-time, allowing focussed infection control efforts. PacBio sequencing confirmed a secondary transmission network arising from inter-species plasmid transmission. Insights from Bayesian transmission inference and analyses of within-host diversity informed the development of state-wide public health and infection control guidelines, including interventions such as an intensive approach to screening contacts following new case detection to minimise unrecognised colonisation. A real-time combined epidemiological and genomic investigation proved critical to identifying and defining multiple transmission networks of KPC Enterobacteriaceae, while data from either investigation alone were inconclusive. The investigation was fundamental to informing infection control measures in real-time and the development of state-wide public health guidelines on carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae surveillance and management.
Link
Citation
PeerJ 2018; 6: e4210
Jornal Title
PeerJ
ISSN
2167-8359

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