High-risk ST11 Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring blaKPC-2 in wildlife: Mobilome architecture and adaptive potential beyond hospital environments.

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 is a high-risk lineage predominantly associated with healthcare settings. Here, we report the phenotypic and genomic characterization of a KPC-producing K. pneumoniae ST11 isolate recovered from a free-living, yellow-chevroned parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) in Brazil. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to multiple drug classes, including carbapenems. Whole-genome sequencing using a hybrid short- and long-read approach resolved a 5.5 Mb chromosome and five plasmids belonging to the IncFIB/HI1B, IncFIB/FII, IncN15, IncX3, and ColRNAI groups. The blaKPC-2 gene was located within a Tn4401-like element on an IncN15 plasmid, while additional resistance determinants were embedded in mosaic Tn402-derived regions and class 1 integrons. The genome displayed a complex mobilome comprising insertion sequences, transposon derivatives, and nine intact chromosomal prophages. Multiple heavy-metal tolerance operons and efflux systems were also identified. In vivo infection assays using Galleria mellonella demonstrated increased virulence compared with a reference strain. These findings document the occurrence of a clinically relevant carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae ST11 isolate in a free-living bird and support the consideration of wildlife-associated samples in integrated One Health surveillance of high-risk antimicrobial-resistant clones.