Background: ST11 is the most prevalent sequence type of clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae  in China.
Methods: We investigated the characteristics of the ST11 subclones using core genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST). Ninety-three carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae  isolates were collected at Shenzhen People’s Hospital. Then, whole-genome sequencing and cgMLST were used to discriminate apparent subclones within the ST11 group.
Results: We analyzed the prevalence and genetic relationships of these subclones. ST11 and K. pneumoniae  carbapenemase (KPC-2) were the predominant genotype and carbapenemase, respectively, in the clinical carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae  strains. cgMLST scheme genotyping divided the ST11 group into two clades across seven complex types (CTs). CT1313 was the most prevalent subclone. The deletion of galF  and a high frequency of SNPs in genes associated with the stress- and SOS-responses were found in CT1291 and CT2405 over time, respectively.
Conclusion: Our results indicated that the subclones of the ST11 group had different patterns of prevalence. Highly discriminatory genotyping techniques, such as cgMLST scheme, should be used in further molecular epidemiology investigations.
Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae , whole genome sequencing, cgMLST, ST11, carbapenem-resistance