Emergence ofAcinetobacter baumanniiInternational Clone 10 predominantly found in the Middle East

Abstract

AbstractAcinetobacter baumanniiis a globally distributed human pathogen. Infections caused by carbapenem-resistant isolates ofA. baumannii(CRAB) are of great concern, as treatment options are very limited. Despite having among the highest rates reported worldwide, there exists limited genomic data from CRAB strains isolated in the Middle East. Here we report epidemiological, phenotypic, and genome sequencing data (short reads and long reads) on a set of 60A. baumanniiisolates belonging to Sequence Type ST158 (Pasteur MLST scheme). They represent a novel international clone (IC), designated IC10, with limited geographic spread beyond the Middle East. Specific antibiotic-resistance genes associated with this clone were identified and data on the plasmid content associated with this lineage are presented.