Prevalent and diverse new plasmid-encoded heavy metal and antimicrobial resistance in <i>Klebsiella</i> strains isolated from hospital wastewater.

ABSTRACT: The rise of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a significant global health threat. Plasmids, as mobile genetic elements, play a critical role in bacterial adaptation by facilitating the spread of resistance genes. To analyze plasmid-mediated antibiotic and heavy metal resistance in clinical Klebsiella strains, 33 Klebsiella strains isolated from wastewater were subjected to third-generation nanopore sequencing to obtain high-quality whole-genome assemblies. The presence and diversity of plasmids associated with antibiotic and heavy metal resistance were analyzed, and phenotypic assays were conducted to confirm metal resistance. A total of 81 plasmids were identified across 24 strains, including 28 (34.6%) novel plasmids. Among them, 22 plasmids carried an

SUBMITTER: Engobo GP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12685809 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature