The Relevant Characteristics of OXA-48

OXA-48 carbapenemase belongs to class D -lactamase and is increasingly reported in enterobacteriaceae. This enzyme hydrolyzes penicillins significantly whereas hydrolyzes carbapenems at a very low level, and it is not susceptible to -lactamase inhibitors. The blaOXA-48 was part of a composite transposon named Tn1999 and made of two copies of IS 1999 bracketing this gene. The current spread of the blaOXA-48 gene is mostly linked to the dissemination of a self-transferable plasmid of 62 kb that does not carry any additional resistance gene. Therefore, it can spread widely among bacteria. The technique of PCR remain the gold standard for the identification of isolates carring blaOXA-48 gene.