First evidence of blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-23 carbapenemase genes in human body lice infesting a second-hand T-shirt in a street market in Italy
Authors
Fabiola Mancini, Laura Villa, Michela Menegon, Marco Di Luca, Luciano Toma, Claudio De Liberato, Adele Magliano, Federico Romiti, Alessandra Carattoli, Alessandra Ciervo
Abstract
Background. The spread of carbapenems resistance is a public health concern. The main group of carbapenemases encoding the β-lactamases activity (bla genes) is the Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs).
Methods. The presence of carbapenemase blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-40-like, blaOXA-51-like, blaOXA-58-like, and blaNDM-1 genes was screened by real time PCR in 26 Pediculus humanus insects identified from second-hand clothes in a local market in Central Italy. Bacteria diversity was also characterized through shotgun metagenomic amplification for a deep sequencing of the host-associated bacterial microbiomes.
Results. The blaOXA-23 and blaNDM-1 carbapenemases genes were found and metagenomic analysis showed a great presence of Acinetobacter species.
Conclusions. These results suggest a new potential transmission path for carbapenemase gene spread through bacteria ingested by insects infesting humans.
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