Detection of Carbapenemase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from Environmental Sources in a Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria.

Abstract Objective: The acquisition of carbapenemase-producing organisms in healthcare settings is a major threat and has serious implications for public health. This study aimed at determining the occurrence of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the ward environments of a tertiary health institution in Nigeria.Results: A total of 142 bacteria were isolated from 534 formites in the hospital wards, and of the 142 isolates, 15(10.6%) were confirmed to be Klebsiella pneumoniae. The prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae in all the 534 samples was 15/534(2.8%), while the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae was 8/534(1.5%). Multi-drug Resistance was detected in 15/15(100%) of the Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated. Although no Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase (blaKPC) gene was expressed in any of these isolates, 8/15(53.3%) of these isolates were confirmed positive for cabapenemase production using a phenotypic detection method- Modified Hodge Test. The commonest sites that harboured carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae were the beds 6/15(40%). The organisms showed maximum resistance (100%) to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cefuroxime and tetracycline, while the highest sensitivities were seen in the carbapenems especially imipenem (73.3%). It was concluded that carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae were present in the study site, thus, buttressing the need for reinforcements of infection control policies in hospital settings.