Emergence of Phytobacter diazotrophicus carrying an IncA/C 2 plasmid harboring bla NDM-1 in Tokyo, Japan.

is an Enterobacterales species that was originally identified as a plant growth-promoting, Gram-negative bacterium. Recently, this species has been recognized as relevant to opportunistic human and nosocomial infections in clinical settings. Its frequent misidentification as other Enterobacterales species from clinical examination occasionally causes a delay in the identification of nosocomial outbreaks. Here, we report the emergence of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing isolated from hospitalized pediatric patients and hospital environments in Tokyo, Japan. In our case, these isolates were found during an investigation of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in relation to nosocomial infections. Whole-genome sequencing is useful for overcoming the difficulty of species identification. Furthermore, we found that was carried by an IncA/C plasmid (approximately 170 kbp), which was transferrable from the clinical isolates to the recipient strain J53. Our study demonstrated that behaves as a carrier of -harboring plasmids, potentially disseminating resistance to carbapenems among Enterobacterales. IMPORTANCE Early detection of nosocomial outbreaks is important to minimize the spread of bacteria. When an outbreak is caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, a delay in findings makes it difficult to control it because such bacteria often spread not only among human patients but also in hospital environments. , an Enterobacterales species that has recently been found to be relevant to clinical settings, is often misidentified as other bacteria in clinical laboratories. Here, we found NDM-producing in hospitalized pediatric patients and their environment in Tokyo, Japan. Given that the isolates carried -harboring transferrable plasmids, the influence of such bacteria could be greater with the mediation of horizontal transfer of carbapenem resistance. Our findings suggest that should be recognized as an NDM-carrier, for which more attention should be paid in clinical settings.