Genomic Analysis of ESBL-producing Klebsiella Pneumoniae Strain AA Isolated from Irrigated Vegetables in Lagos, Nigeria

Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is a known pathogen that has been implicated in both hospital and community-acquired infections. Several strains are emerging as hypervirulent, raising public health concerns. This study aimed to gain genomic insight into multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae AA strain isolated from the leafy vegetable Corchorus olitorius (Ewedu), specifically characterizing its resistome, mobilome and virulence determinants. K. pneumoniae AA was isolated from the vegetable using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disc diffusion method, and isolates were screened for extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production using the double-disc diffusion method. Whole-genome sequencing was carried out using the PacBio Onso sequencing platform. K. pneumoniae AA was positive for ESBL production and was MDR, showing resistance to eight of the ten antibiotics tested. The genome of K. pneumoniae AA was 5.4 Mb in size, comprising 558 contigs and a G + C content of 57.5