Pablo Aja‐Macaya, Tania Blanco-Martín, Cristian Mateo-León, Cristóbal del Rosario-Quintana, Carmen Piña, Enrique de la Cruz-Tabares, Salud Rodríguez-Pallares, Lucía González-Pinto, Alejandro Beceiro, Marina Oviaño, Germán Bou, Diego García-Martínez de Artola, Jorge Arca-Suárez
The emergence of a high-risk New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 14-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 147 clone is of public health concern because of its rapid international spread. We report cross-border emergence and rapid dissemination of that clone in the Canary Islands, Spain, during 2023-2025. We analyzed 30 isolates recovered during 2023 in detail by reviewing clinical and epidemiologic data, conducting whole-genome sequencing to assess clonal relatedness and analyze resistomes, and performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing of novel therapeutic options through reference broth microdilution. The isolates formed a well-defined cluster, with minimal genomic distance and identical resistomes, confirming the local outbreak. Those clones were also closely related to other international New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 14-producing K. pneumoniae sequence type 147 isolates, supporting the ongoing cross-border expansion of that clone. Aztreonam/avibactam was the most active therapeutic option (MICs <0.125 mg/L). Our findings highlight the need for close monitoring to prevent further dissemination of this clone.