Characterization of IMI-4 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter sp. isolated from humans and a companion animal in French Indian Ocean territories.

Authors

David A Wilkinson, Axelle Sellier, Cléa Maurines-Carboneill, Anaïs Ethèves, Clément Rabaly, Loik Sababadichetty, Olivier Belmonte, Thomas Garrigos, Cécile Squarzoni Diaw, Katerina Albrechtova, Guillaume Miltgen

Published in

The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy. Volume 81. Issue 8. Jul 02, 2026.

Abstract

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are a significant public health concern, associated with high morbidity and mortality rates due to restricted antibiotic treatment options. Among the genetic determinants of CPE resistance, imipenemase (IMI) mediated resistance is an emerging problem in infections involving bacteria of the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) and has been linked to worldwide clinical cases, including community-level outbreaks in the Indian Ocean region. Little is known about the potential role of animals as reservoirs of multidrug-resistant ECC bacteria.
Characterize blaIMI-4 carbapenemase-producing ECC strains isolated from patients and a companion animal in the southwestern Indian Ocean region (Réunion and Mayotte islands).
We used antibiotic susceptibility testing to determine available treatment and genome sequencing to characterize resistance gene variants and mobile genetic elements carrying blaIMI-4 genes.
blaIMI-4 ECC isolates are susceptible to new antibiotics active on Class A carbapenemase, notably β-lactams-inhibitors (ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam). The blaIMI-4 gene was identified on a common EcloIMEX-2 mobile integrative element in (i) ST 2370 Enterobacter sichuanensis isolated from a dog in Réunion and (ii) ST1845 Enterobacter roggenkampii clinical isolates from Réunion and Mayotte islands.
Companion animals may play a role in the persistence and spread of mobile genetic elements that confer carbapenem resistance in diverse Enterobacter species.

PMID:
42446385
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Jul 2026.

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