KPC-Like Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Colonizing Patients in Europe and Israel

ABSTRACT In a 2008-2011 survey, 17,945 patients in 18 hospital units in Europe and Israel were screened for carriage of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae , resulting in identification of 124 positive patients. The isolates were dominated by Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 258 (ST258) KPC-2 and ST512 KPC-3, mainly from Greece and Italy, respectively, whereas Israeli isolates were of diverse species, clones, and KPC variants. Various bla KPC platforms were observed, among which IncFII K -FIB K plasmids with bla KPC-2/-3 genes in the Tn 4401 a transposon prevailed.