Multicentre genetic diversity study of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales: predominance of untypeable pUVA-like blaKPC bearing plasmids

Objectives: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are an urgent public health threat. A better understanding of the molecular epidemiology and transmission dynamics of CRE is necessary to limit their dissemination within healthcare settings. We sought to investigate the mechanisms of resistance and spread of CRE within multiple hospitals in Maryland. Methods: From 2016 to 2018, all CRE were collected from any specimen source from The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. The isolates were further characterized using both phenotypic and genotypic approaches, including short- and/or long-read WGS. Results: genes. Conclusions: Our findings provide valuable data to understand the transmission dynamics of all CRE within the greater Maryland region. These data can help guide targeted interventions to limit CRE transmission in healthcare facilities.