Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase (KPC) Producing Enterobacteriaceae Isolates from Various Clinical Samples in a Rural Health Setup

Carbapenem resistance is increasing and emerging as a public health threat. The Indian subcontinent serves as a reservoir for all 3 types of carbapenemases: KPC, OXA-181 and NDM. The present study was done to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of Gram negative bacilli (GNB) belonging to family Enterobacteriaceae and molecular detection of bla(KPC) gene among the Carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of 301 gram negative isolates, members of Enterobacteriaceae (E. coli, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, Proteus species, Citrobacter species, Enterobacter species and Serratia species) was determined and those resistant to carbapenem (ertapenem) were further processed in the study. Modified Hodge Test (MHT) was performed to phenotypically confirm the presence of carbapenemases (bla(KPC)) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was done to identify bla(KPC) gene. Of the total 301 isolates, 45 were resistant to ertapenem. Out of these 45 isolates 32 were MHT positive and three of these 32 MHT positive strains harboured bla(KPC) gene.