Anatomy of an extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak in Tuscany, Italy

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae belongs to the “critical-priority” tier of bacterial pathogens as identified by the World Health Organization. Emerging “high-risk” lineages are responsible for difficult-to-treat, hospital-acquired infections and outbreaks around the globe. By integrating genomic and epidemiological data for isolates collected over 20 mo, this study revealed both the high, regional prevalence and the rapid spread, within a single hospital, of K. pneumoniae ST-147 in Italy.