We report the emergence of colistin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae after 8 days of colistin-based therapy, resulting in relapse of bloodstream infection and death. Disruption of the mgrB gene by insertion of a mobile genetic element was found to be the mechanism, which was replicated in vitro after exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of colistin and meropenem.
Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae; carbapenemase; colistin resistance.