Dissemination of 16S rRNA Methylase ArmA-Producing Acinetobacter baumannii and Emergence of OXA-72 Carbapenemase-Coproducers in Japan

Forty-nine clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were obtained from 12 hospitals in 7 prefectures in Japan. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed clonal spread of A. baumannii ST208 and ST455 isolates harboring armA and ST512 harboring armA and blaOXA-72. A. baumannii isolates harboring armA are disseminated throughout Japan. This is the first report showing that A. baumannii strains harboring blaOXA-72 and armA were emerging in hospitals in Japan.