Molecular investigation of high-level aminoglycoside resistance among gram-negative bacilli isolated from cerebrospinal fluid and blood of hospitalized patients in Brazil

• Grant number: 17/11707-9
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): September 04, 2017
• Effective date (End): March 03, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lúcia da Costa Darini
• Grantee: Anelise Stella Ballaben
• Supervisor abroad: Yohei Doi
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Local de pesquisa : University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/23484-9 - Molecular study of gram-negative beta-lactamase producing bacteria isolated from patients with suspected meningitis in the Ribeirão Preto region, BP.DD

Abstract

Aminoglycosides have been used for the treatment of infections due to MDR (multidrug-resistant) Gram-negative pathogens. The high-level aminoglycoside resistance mediated by the production of 16S-RMTases has been described in Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli more frequently in recent years, reinforcing the important role that these enzymes play on the antimicrobial resistance scenario. The aim of this project is to investigate the molecular mechanisms of high-level aminoglycoside resistance among enterobacteria and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli isolated from cerebrospinal fluid and blood of patients with meningitis in different hospitals of Sao Paulo State, Brazil during 2007 to 2014. According to standard experiments, 19 high-level aminoglycoside-resistant isolates including 14 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 3 Acinetobacter baumannii and 2 Klebsiella pneumoniae were selected to this study. For this proposal, we will evaluate the presence of aminoglycosides resistance genes in enterobacteria and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli, investigate the presence, number and size of plasmids carrying aminoglycoside resistance genes and sequencing the whole genome of Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli producing potential new aminoglycoside resistance genes. With this 6-month investigation, we will elucidate high-level aminoglycoside resistance among Gram-negative bacilli in Brazil.