Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter pittii isolates mediated by metallo-β-lactamases.

These data show the existence of a promiscuous plasmid circulating in A. pittii isolates in Germany that differs only in the MBL-encoding region. Its plasmid backbone has been found globally among multiple Acinetobacter spp. These data should raise awareness of an epidemic conjugative plasmid that has independently acquired MBLs. We should also consider that future comparative plasmid analysis will look beyond solely the resistome and include the mobile elements carrying the resistance genes.