Extract

Sir,

The emergence and dissemination of Enterobacteriaceae isolates producing carbapenemases in various geographical regions represent a significant threat to the management of nosocomial infections. Carbapenem-hydrolysing β-lactamases include metallo-β-lactamases, expanded-spectrum oxacillinases and Ambler class A enzymes.1 Among class A enzymes, the most common are KPC β-lactamases, which hydrolyse all β-lactams except cephamycins. The blaKPC-like genes have been reported most often from enterobacterial species recovered from many states in the USA.2 In addition, KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates are endemic in Greece and Israel, and have been reported from many countries worldwide, including South America, China and Western Europe.2 The rapid dissemination of KPC enzymes among different enterobacterial species is related to the localization of blaKPC genes on transferable broad-host-range plasmids and their association with a particular transposon,3 but is also linked with a disseminated international clone of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae sequence type (ST) 258.4,5 We describe here the first identification of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae in Switzerland.

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