Putative conjugative transfer and persistence of carbapenem resistance gene bla(OXA-72) from Acinetobacter pittii to Acinetobacter baumannii.

PCR-based evidence indicates putative transfer of the carbapenemase gene bla OXA-72 from Acinetobacter pittii to Acinetobacter baumannii, with apparent transconjugant frequency varying by temperature and meropenem exposure.

• Why it matters: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter is linked to increased morbidity and mortality, yet environmental conditions that shape bla OXA-72 spread and short-term persistence are unclear.
• What they did: Using donor–recipient pairs from patient, municipal wastewater, and pig farm wastewater isolates, the study assessed putative conjugation by PCR, tested temperature and meropenem supplementation, and examined susceptibility, fitness, and marker persistence over 30 days.
• The result: Putative transconjugants showed meropenem susceptibility changes and fitness costs, while PCR-detectable marker persistence was variable and generally unstable over 30 days; sequencing did not conclusively confirm bla OXA-72 or plasmid structure.

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