Activity of ceftazidime/avibactam against isogenic strains of <i>Escherichia coli</i> containing KPC and SHV β-lactamases with single amino acid substitutions in the Ω-loop

Several KPC-2 variants demonstrating ceftazidime resistance as a result of single amino acid substitutions in the Ω-loop were not susceptible to ceftazidime/avibactam (MICs >8 mg/L). We hypothesize that this observation is due to the stabilizing interactions (e.g. hydrogen bonds) of ceftazidime within the active site of variant β-lactamases that prevent avibactam from binding to and inhibiting the β-lactamase. As ceftazidime/avibactam is introduced into the clinic, monitoring for new KPC-2 variants that may exhibit increased ceftazidime kinetics as well as resistance to this novel antibiotic combination will be important.