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Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKp), particularly those of sequence type ST258, often cause hospital-acquired antibiotic-resistant infection in the U.S. Accurate genetic analysis is critical to understanding how these pathogens spread within healthcare facilities. Whole genome sequencing allows categorization of organisms into related clusters. This can be done statically (where relatedness is determined by a fixed cut-off of differences of single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNP]), or dynamically (where sampling times, genetic distance, and rates of SNP accumulation and transmission are taken into account). Each method has strengths and weaknesses.
To compare static versus dynamic genetic assessment, investigators in the Consorti…