Genomic Characterization of NDM-1 Producer Providencia stuartii Isolated in Russia

<b>Background/Objectives:</b><i>Providencia stuartii</i> is intrinsically resistant to several antibiotic classes, and acquisition of <i>bla</i>_NDM further restricts treatment options. This study aimed to characterize NDM-producing <i>P. stuartii</i> isolates from a small hospital cluster in Russia and to place them within the global genomic context. <b>Methods:</b> Four isolates recovered between June and July 2023 from a single hospital were analyzed using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing to assess genetic relatedness and plasmid content. <b>Results:</b> The isolates showed identical extensively drug-resistant profiles and were closely related genomically. All carried nearly identical IncC plasmids harboring multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, including <i>bla</i>_NDM. Comparative analysis indicated that these genomes clustered with recent European isolates but differed in the <i>bla</i>_NDM allele and its genomic location. Highly similar IncC plasmids were also found in our previous <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> dataset, demonstrating that this plasmid backbone occurs in multiple bacterial species in the region. <b>Conclusions:</b> The study highlights the role of IncC plasmids in carbapenemase dissemination and underscores the value of genomic surveillance integrating chromosomal and plasmid analyses to track extensively drug-resistant pathogens.