Genomic epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the northeastern regions of South Africa

Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) is a global health concern as it escapes the effects of antibiotics through multiple intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Limited information is available, which delineates the evolution and molecular epidemiology of CRPA in the South African context. The aim of the study was to investigate the molecular characteristics and genomic epidemiology of CRPA in the northeastern regions of South Africa using a short read whole genome sequencing (WGS).