1452 - Molecular Profile of β-Lactamase Genes and Siderophore-Dependent Iron Transporter Genes of Cefiderocol High MIC Isolates from SIDERO-WT Studies

Background: Cefiderocol (CFDC) is a novel siderophore cephalosporin with efficacy against Gram-negative (GN) bacteria, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and non-glucose-fermenters such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. In consecutive multinational surveillance (SIDERO-WT) studies (2014–2017), CFDC demonstrated activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ≤4 mg/mL against 99.4% of 28,629 GN clinical isolates. We conducted molecular characterization of 161 isolates with CFDC MICs >4 mg/mL from the SIDERO-WT studies.

Methods: A total of 161 isolates underwent whole genome sequencing by Illumina Hiseq. Analyses were done using the CLC genomics workbench (Qiagen) for possible resistance-related genes (e.g. β-lactamases, porin channels or penicillin-binding protein genes) and some TonB-dependent siderophore uptake receptor genes (fiu, cir, piu, pir). Fiu and Cir in Escherichia coli and Piu in P. aeruginosa are the iron transporters involved in CFDC transport.

Results: Of 161 isolates with CFDC MIC >4 mg/mL, 128 were A. baumannii, 22 Enterobacterales, 7 Burkholderia multivorans, 2 P. aeruginosa, and 2 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Genes encoding PER/VEB extended-spectrum β-lactamases and NDM-type metallo-β-lactamases were detected in some isolates, but other β-lactamase genes (bla) were not shown to be linked to high CFDC MICs. bla_PER/bla_VEB were found only in A. baumannii and bla_NDM was found in A. baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In 128 A. baumannii isolates, 103 harbored PER or VEB, including PER positive isolates from Russia (n=87) and Turkey (n=6) and 4 VEB positive isolates from USA. Nine NDM-positive isolates (7 K. pneumoniae, 2 A. baumannii) were found. Disruption of iron transport genes was also detected in some isolates, including piuA (11 A. baumannii, 1 P. aeruginosa), pirA (2 A. baumannii), and fiuA (4 B. multivorans, 1 Proteus mirabilis). No cir homologs were found in 2 B. multivorans.

Conclusion: PER and NDM could reduce susceptibility to CFDC, as such isolates have been seen in some countries. Iron transporter disruption was also observed in some isolates with high CFDC MICs; the contribution of these deficiencies in A. baumannii and B. multivorans requires further study.