Award Details:
Award Type: Catalyst
Award #: C-089
Proposal Title: Carbapenem-Resistant K. Pneumoniae Genomic Biomarkers that Predict Poor Outcomes
PI(s): Alan Hauser (NU) and Zackery Bulman (UIC)
Award Amount: $249,983.00
Application Cycle: Round 25 (Spring 2018)
Award Start Date: September 1, 2018
Award End Date: August 31, 2020
Abstract:
Infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are categorized in the highest threat level by the CDC, WHO, and IDSA. The most prevalent CRE species is Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), in which carbapenem resistance is consistently coupled with other drug resistance mechanisms leaving clinicians with an extremely limited therapeutic armamentarium. In the past, carbapenem-resistant Kp (CR-Kp) strains had relatively low levels of virulence, but recent evidence suggests this is changing. As a result, clinicians are increasingly encountering highly invasive CR-Kp infections that evade antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately, many aspects of CR-Kp antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity remain poorly understood. We propose herein to investigate unique bacterial genetic markers that enhance antibiotic resistance and virulence in CR-Kp strains.