High-risk ST11 Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring bla_KPC-2 in wildlife: Mobilome architecture and adaptive potential beyond hospital environments.

Authors

Carolina Aparecida Ramos, Stella Cabral, Joseane Cristina Ferreira, Ludmilla Tonani, Marcia Regina von Zeska Kress, Patricia Orlandi Barth, William Latosinski Matos, Dariane Castro Pereira, Afonso Luis Barth, Andreza Francisco Martins, Michael Chandler, Alessandro de Mello Varani, Ana Lúcia da Costa Darini, Anelise Stella Ballaben

Published in

Plasmid. Pages 102775. Aug 08, 2026. Epub Aug 08, 2026.

Abstract

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 is a high-risk lineage predominantly associated with healthcare settings. Here, we report the phenotypic and genomic characterization of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae ST11 isolate recovered from a free-living, yellow-chevroned parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) in Brazil. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to multiple drug classes, including carbapenems. Whole-genome sequencing using a hybrid short- and long-read approach resolved a 5.5 Mb chromosome and five plasmids belonging to the IncFIB/HI1B, IncFIB/FII, IncN15, IncX3, and ColRNAI groups. The bla_KPC-2 gene was located within a Tn4401-like element on an IncN15 plasmid, while additional resistance determinants were embedded in mosaic Tn402-derived regions and class 1 integrons. The genome displayed a complex mobilome comprising insertion sequences, transposon derivatives, and nine intact chromosomal prophages. Multiple heavy-metal tolerance operons and efflux systems were also identified. In vivo infection assays using Galleria mellonella demonstrated increased virulence compared with a reference strain. These findings document the occurrence of a clinically relevant carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae ST11 isolate in a free-living bird and support the consideration of wildlife-associated samples in integrated One Health surveillance of high-risk antimicrobial-resistant clones.

PMID:
42570746
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Aug 2026.

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