Genetic Insights into Colistin Resistance in Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from Southern Thailand

BACKGROUND: (CRKP). The emergence of colistin resistance threatens public health by further limiting therapeutic options. This study aimed to molecularly characterize colistin resistance in 17 CRKP isolates obtained from seven hospitals in lower Southern Thailand between March and August 2019. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution, and whole-genome sequencing was employed to identify acquired antimicrobial resistance genes, mutations associated with colistin resistance, virulence-associated genes (VAGs), and plasmid replicons. Several isolates harbored VAGs encoding for yersiniabactin and aerobactin siderophore. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the convergence of resistance and virulence in clonally related CRKP strains, emphasizing the need for continued genomic surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship.