Whole-genome analysis of extensively drug-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> isolates from a Peruvian tertiary hospital reveals the emergence of OXA-23-producing ST79 and ST1079 clones

<i>A. baumannii</i> is one of the most problematic hospital pathogens worldwide, often resistant to nearly all available antibiotics. In Peru, the proportion of carbapenem-resistant isolates is among the highest reported globally, yet their genetic background has remained largely unknown. This study provides the first genomic and phylogenomic insight into XDR <i>A. baumannii</i> from a major Peruvian hospital, revealing the spread of high-risk clones belonging to sequence type 2 carrying the OXA-72 carbapenemase, and the emergence of two additional lineages, sequence type 79 and sequence type 1079, both producing OXA-23. These findings demonstrate that multiple resistant lineages are established in Peru, highlighting the urgent need to implement genomic surveillance and infection control measures. Understanding the diversity and dynamics of these lineages is critical to limit their further spread and to guide public health responses in South America.