Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular types, antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in China: a longitudinal, multi-centre study

Epidemiological knowledge of circulating carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is needed to develop effective strategies against this public health threat. Here we present a longitudinal analysis of 1,017 CRKP isolates recovered from patients from 40 hospitals across China between 2016 and 2020. Virulence gene and capsule typing revealed expansion of CRKP capsule type KL64 (59.5%) alongside decreases in KL47 prevalence. Hypervirulent CRKP increased in prevalence from 28.2% in 2016 to 45.7% in 2020. Phylogenetic and spatiotemporal analysis revealed Beijing and Shanghai as transmission hubs accounting for differential geographical prevalence of KL47 and KL64 strains across China. Moderate frequency capsule or O-antigen loss was also detected among isolates. Non-capsular CRKP were more susceptible to phagocytosis, attenuated during mouse infections, but showed increased serum resistance and biofilm formation. These findings give insight into CRKP serotype prevalence and dynamics, revealing the importance of monitoring serotype shifts for the future development of immunological strategies against CRKP infections.