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Objective. The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) is a major concern that is increasingly reported worldwide. Our study aimed at investigating the resistance of CPE isolates in a Moroccan teaching hospital using phenotypic and genotypic methods. Methods. Enterobacterales strains from March to June 2018 were collected from different clinical samples. The Enterobacterales isolates resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) and/or carbapenems were subjected to the Carba NP test and an immunochromatographic test for phenotypic detection. Detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) was also performed following standards. Molecular screening of carbapenemases genes (OXA-48, NDM, blaKPC, blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaOXA-24, blaOXA-23, OXA-51, OXA-58) using conventional multiplex PCR assays was also performed on 143 isolates. Results. Enterobacterales represented 52.7% with a proportion of 21.8% of bacteria resistant to 3GC and/or carbapenems. Within 143 isolates MDR to 3GC, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, and E. cloacae represent 53.1%, 40.6%, and 6.3%, respectively. These strains were isolated mainly from urinary samples (74.8%) in patients admitted to emergency and surgical units. 81.1% of strains are producing ESBL and 29% are carbapenemase producers as confirmed by the Carba NP test, immunochromatographic test, and molecular testing. OXA-48 carriers represent 83.3% of these strains, followed by NDM with 16.7%. blaKPC, blaIMP, blaVIM, and blaOXA-24, blaOXA-23, OXA-51, OXA-58 were not detected in any of these bacteria. Conclusions. A high rate of CPE carrying OXA-48 among Enterobacterales resistant to 3GC and/or carbapenems isolates was found. Strict observance of hospital hygiene measures and more rational use of antibiotics are mandatory. Implantation of carbapenemases detection should be encouraged in our hospital settings to estimate the true burden of the CPE.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are an increasingly significant cause of hospital- and community-acquired infections worldwide. Whereas several reports have highlighted their increased prevalence also in North African countries, genomic data on isolates associated with these infections are still scarce. This study aimed to provide data on ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from patients with extraintestinal infections at the Military Teaching Hospital Mohamed V of Rabat, Morocco. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing was carried out on 18 ESBL-producing extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) isolates for analysis of phylogenomic evolution, virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes. Data were compared with ExPEC lineages from several surrounding countries using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and single nucleotide polymorphism-based phylogenetic approaches. Results: The majority of E. coli isolates were ST131 (n = 15), followed by ST617 (n = 2) and a novel sequence type (ST10703) that is closely related to the pandemic ST405 clone. All ST131 isolates belonged to the O25b-ST131 pandemic clone. They harboured more virulence genes than their non-ST131 counterparts. IncF plasmid replicons and the blaCTX-M-15 β-lactamase gene were identified in all isolates. No ESBL-producing E. coli isolates carried any known carbapenemase gene. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the pre-eminence of ST131 as the major factor driving the expansion of ExPEC in the Rabat region while highlighting the potential links with isolates circulating in other neighbouring countries.