Comparative study of genotype and virulence in CTX-M-producing and non-extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates

Molecular and virulence characteristics of CTX-M-producing and non-extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (non-ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were compared. Lack of shared characteristics between the two groups suggested that most CTX-M-producing K. pneumoniae isolates in South Korea did not occur by transfer of bla_CTX-M into susceptible strains. Conjugation assays confirmed that the plasmid with the bla_CTX-M-15 gene confers virulence as well as antimicrobial resistance, suggesting that a CTX-M-15-producing clone such as ST11 may have a selective advantage even without antibiotic pressure.