title: First cases of KPC-type carbapenemase-producing bacteria in patients in New Zealand hospitals.
abstract: The emergence and global spread of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPCs) is a significant public health problem. Between October 2010 and July 2013, KPC-producing K. pneumoniae were isolated from four patients in New Zealand hospitals. These cases are the first known isolations of KPC-producing organisms in New Zealand. All four patients were transferred from, or had recently been in, hospitals in countries where KPC-producing organisms are prevalent (China, India, Greece and Italy). The blaKPC-2gene was identified in the isolates from three patients and blaKPC-3was identified in the isolate from the remaining patient. The isolates belonged to different multilocus sequence type clonal complexes, usually those prevalent in the country in which the patient had been previously hospitalised. Currently in New Zealand, the common factor associated with having a KPC-producing organism is prior hospitalisation in another country where these organisms are prevalent.
authors.affiliation: Antibiotic Reference Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR), P.O. Box 50348, Wellington 5240, New Zealand. Electronic address: helen.heffernan@esr.cri.nz.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heffernan
authors.affiliation: Antibiotic Reference Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR), P.O. Box 50348, Wellington 5240, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dyet
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Waikato Hospital, Private Bag 3200, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Munroe
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Canterbury Health Laboratories, P.O. Box 151, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Creighton
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medlab Central, P.O. Box 293, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Middlemore Hospital, Private Bag 93311, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Waikato Hospital, Private Bag 3200, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mansell
keywords: KPC carbapenemase; Klebsiella pneumoniae; New Zealand