A prospective study of acinetobacter baumannii complex isolates and colistin susceptibility monitoring by mass spectrometry of microbial membrane glycolipids

Lisa M. Leung, Christi L. McElheny, Francesca M. Gardner, Courtney E. Chandler, Sarah L. Bowler, Roberta T. Mettus, Caressa N. Spychala, Erin L. Fowler, Belita N.A. Opene, Robert A. Myers, David R. Goodlett, Yohei Doi, Robert K. Ernst

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a prevalent nosocomial pathogen with a high incidence of multidrug resistance. Treatment of infections due to this organism with colistin, a last-resort antibiotic of the polymyxin class, can result in the emergence of colistin-resistant strains. Colistin resistance primarily occurs via modifications of the terminal phosphate moieties of lipopolysaccharide-derived lipid A, which reduces overall membrane electronegativity. These modifications are readily identified by mass spectrometry (MS). In this study, we prospectively collected Acinetobacter baumannii complex clinical isolates from a hospital system in Pennsylvania over a 3-year period. All isolates were evaluated for colistin resistance using standard MIC testing by both agar dilution and broth microdilution, as well as genospecies identification and lipid A profiling using MS analyses. Overall, an excellent correlation between colistin susceptibility and resistance, determined by MIC testing, and the presence of a lipid A modification, determined by MS, was observed with a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 94.0%. Additionally, glycolipid profiling was able to differentiate A. baumannii complex organisms based on their membrane lipids. With the growth of MS use in clinical laboratories, a reliable MS-based glycolipid phenotyping method that identifies colistin resistance in A. baumannii complex clinical isolates, as well as other Gram-negative organisms, represents an alternative or complementary approach to existing diagnostics.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere01100-18
JournalJournal of clinical microbiology
Volume57
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 03-2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Microbiology (medical)

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