Comparative analysis of carbapenemases, RND family efflux pumps and biofilm formation potential among Acinetobacter baumannii strains with different carbapenem susceptibility

Aim This study has conducted a comparative analysis of common carbapenemases harboring, the expression of resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) family efflux pumps, and biofilm formation potential associated with carbapenem resistance among Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) strains with different carbapenem susceptibility. Methods: A total of 90 isolates of A. baumannii from two tertiary hospitals of China were identified and grouped as carbapenem susceptible A. baumannii (CSAB) strains and carbapenem non-susceptible A. baumannii (CnSAB) strains based on the susceptibility to imipenem. Harboring of carbapenemase genes, relative expression of RND family efflux pumps and biofilm formation potential were compared between the two groups. Result: Among these strains, 12 (13.3 %) strains were divided into the CSAB group, and 78 (86.7 %) strains into the CnSAB group. Compared with CSAB strains, CnSAB strains increased distribution of bla(OXA-23) (p < 0.001) and ISAba1/bla(OXA-51-like) (p = 0.034) carbapenemase genes, and a 6.1-fold relative expression of adeB (p = 0.002), while CSAB strains led to biofilm formation by 1.3-fold than CnSAB strains (p = 0.021). Conclusions Clinically, harboring more bla(OXA-23-like) and ISAba1/bla(OXA-51-like) complex genes and overproduction of adeABC are relevant with carbapenem resistance, while carbapenem susceptible strains might survive the stress of antibiotic through their ability of higher biofilm formation.