Objectives To characterize carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates associated with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Colombia using whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Methods A total of 83 A. baumannii isolates collected between 2012 and 2015 were sequenced using the Illumina platform. Raw reads were assembled by SPAdes and classified via multilocus sequence typing (MLST), using the Pasteur, Oxford, and core genome MLST (cgMLST) schemes. Antimicrobial resistance determinants, capsule types, and outer core (OC) serotypes were identified. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred through single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis using IQ-TREE.

Results MLST analysis assigned isolates to 10 sequence types (STs) in the Pasteur scheme and 20 STs in the Oxford scheme. The most prevalent types were ST79P (68.7%) and ST124° (25.3%). IC5 (ST79P) and IC7 (ST25P/ST945P) were the predominant ICs, confirming their endemic presence in Colombia and highlighting the genetic diversity of emerging clonal variants. cgMLST identified 13 minimum spanning trees (MSTSs), with MST1 grouping 19 isolates. Carbapenem resistance was primarily driven by the presence of the class D β-lactamase gene blaOXA-23. The most common K locus types were KL9 and KL151, while the dominant OC locus was OCL10. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two major clades and seven minor clusters.

Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive genomic overview of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates circulating in Colombia, highlighting key resistance determinants and population structure. These findings can inform public health strategies to mitigate the spread of high-risk clones and improve antimicrobial resistance surveillance.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study was funded by COLCIENCIAS, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and was partially supported by the EPFL Leading House seed money 2015, Switzerland. The authors and their institutions did not receive any payment or services from a third party for any aspect of the submitted work, including study design, data analysis, or manuscript preparation.

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

All A. baumannii isolates used in this study were fully de-identified prior to analysis and cannot be traced back to individual patients. No patient-identifiable information was used at any stage of the research.

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