# Understanding mechanisms and implications of Acinetobacter carbapenem resistance via whole genome sequencing and associated patient outcomes

> **NIH AHRQ R03** · CENTRAL TEXAS VETERANS RESEARCH FOUNDATION · 2020 · $42,395

## Abstract

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Carbapenemase producing Acinetobacter infections mostly occur in critically ill hospitalized patients,
immunocompromised patients and patients administered with carbapenems. This poses an important problem
as carbapenems are the drugs of choice for treatment of Acinetobacter infections. Therefore, studies
understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Acinetobacter is of paramount importance. With high
resolution data available from whole genome sequencing (WGS) and our ability to perform both sequencing
and bioinformatic analysis in house, we aim to identify the Acinetobacter resistance genes present in both the
chromosomal and plasmid DNA. Our long-term goal is to understand the emergence and spread of resistance
genes of Acinetobacter and how it contributes to patient outcomes. We hypothesize that patients with
Acinetobacter infections can have different patient outcomes based on the resistance genes they harbor. The
objective of this pilot research is to identify the different resistance genes or its variants in Acinetobacter that
contribute to adverse patient outcomes such as prolonged infection leading to increased duration of stay and
mortality. The central hypothesis will be addressed by the following specific aims 1) Identify all chromosomal or
plasmid derived antibiotic-resistance genes harbored by the carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
(CRAb) isolates via whole genome sequencing (WGS) and computational analysis 2) Determine if any
resistance genes or variants of these genes in the CRAb isolates act as a predictor of adverse clinical
outcomes. In addition to the above-mentioned goals, this study will provide a unique opportunity to understand
the epidemiology of Acinetobacter infections using whole genome multilocus sequence typing MLST
(wgMLST) in a clinical setting. This integrated approach with whole genome DNA sequencing, plasmid
sequencing, epidemiologic surveillance and patient outcome data in a non-outbreak situation will allow us to
comprehensively evaluate the high-risk Acinetobacter clades and prioritize treatment options for those patients.
The findings from the proposed research will advance our understanding of the epidemiology and implications
of resistance mechanisms that contribute to adverse patient outcomes to improve resource prioritization in
healthcare facilities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10041391
- **Project number:** 1R03HS027667-01
- **Recipient organization:** CENTRAL TEXAS VETERANS RESEARCH FOUNDATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Piyali Chatterjee
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $42,395
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10041391

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10041391, Understanding mechanisms and implications of Acinetobacter carbapenem resistance via whole genome sequencing and associated patient outcomes (1R03HS027667-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10041391. Licensed CC0.

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