[ODP1] 1. Taxonomy / Epidemiology / Infectious diseases -a. Phylogenetics, taxonomy and strain typing

[ODP-006] Molecular epidemiology of MDR E. coli isolated from one of the largest hospitals in Vietnam

Tohru Miyoshi-Akiyama¹, Do Van Thanh², Truong Thai Phuong², Nguyen Quang Huy², Pham Thi Phuong Thuy³, Teruo Kirikae⁴, Pham Hong Nhung², Norio Ohmagari⁴ (¹Dept. Infect. Dis, Nat. Center. Global Health Med., ²Bach Mai Hospital, ³NCGM-Bach Mai Hospital Medical Collaboration Center, ⁴Nat. Center Global Health Med.)

Introduction: Little is known about circulating antimicrobial resistance genes in CRE isolated from patients in Vietnamese hospitals and their correlation with MDR phenotypes.
Aim: This study was designed to clarify the molecular epidemiology of Escherichia coli isolates resistant to carbapenems, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides isolated from patients admitted to one of the largest hospitals in Vietnam in 2014-2019 based on both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and phenotypic data.
Methodology: Sixty-seven Vietnamese isolates were subjected to WGS and their sequences were analyzed to determine their multi-locus sequence types (MLST), O-types, H-types, distribution of drug resistance genes, plasmid types, pathogenicity associated islands (PAIs), virulence factor distribution and phylogenetic evolution.
Results: MLST, O-types, H-types, plasmid types and types of carbapenemases were very heterogeneous among the isolates, with no clear correlation between them. The percentage of isolates positive for drug resistance genes, such as anti-beta lactams and aminoglycosides, was relatively high, likely because the isolates screened were resistant to carbapenems, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides.
Conclusions: MDR E. coli strains isolated at a high-volume Vietnamese hospital were very heterogeneous.