Rapid inter-regional and cross-border dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST6668, European Union, April 2022 to August 2026

Preliminary analysis of genomic surveillance data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Surveillance Network detected the spread of the emerging carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type ST6668 in 19 NUTS-2 regions in Italy (8 regions) and five other European Union (EU) countries (11 regions) in the period April 2022 to August 2026. These findings demonstrate the vulnerability of EU healthcare facilities to the rapid spread of K. pneumoniae high-risk lineages from uncontrolled local outbreaks via national and cross-border patient mobility.