blaKPC4carrying

blaKPC4carrying refers to the presence of the blaKPC-4 gene within a bacterial organism. This gene encodes for a carbapenemase, specifically a Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) of the KPC-4 variant. Carbapenemases are enzymes that can hydrolyze and inactivate carbapenem antibiotics, which are often considered last-resort treatments for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Therefore, bacteria carrying the blaKPC-4 gene are typically resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems.

The blaKPC-4 gene is commonly found on mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, which can be transferred between different bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. This facilitates the rapid spread of carbapenem resistance within and between bacterial populations. Infections caused by blaKPC-4 carrying bacteria, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae, are a significant public health concern, often requiring complex and limited treatment options. Surveillance and rapid detection of blaKPC-4 are crucial for infection control and antimicrobial stewardship efforts to prevent the dissemination of these highly resistant strains. The identification of blaKPC-4 is usually achieved through molecular methods like PCR.