Low genetic diversity of the intrinsic OXA-51-like class D carbapenemases among Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates in Greece

Abstract

This study examined the geographical distribution and diversity of the intrinsic OXA-51-like class D carbapenemases among Acinetobacter baumannii clones recovered in three major Greek regions from 2000 to 2005. The bla(OXA-66) allele was exclusively detected among clonally distinct A. baumannii isolates recovered in the regions of Thessaloniki and Larissa. This sequence was also the most widespread among A. baumannii isolates in Athens, while less frequent were bla(OXA-69) and bla(OXA-65) alleles. These findings highlight the high prevalence of a specific bla(OXA-51-like) allele in Greece, possibly indicating that our A. baumannii clones might have originated from a common ancestor. However, the possibility that bla(OXA-51-like) variants, with bla(OXA-66) predominating, are widely disseminated among several unrelated A. baumannii strains cannot be excluded.