Background: All b-lactamase enzymes, or carbapenemases, are able to hydrolyzing the beta-lactam antibiotics. The ability of Klebsiella pneumoniae to produce carbapenemases is the primary cause of carbapenem resistance in this organism.
Objective: To define the prevalence as well as characterization of carbapenem resistance with genes coding for the carbapenemase in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates that was taken from patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Zagazig University Hospitals.
Patients and Methods: In a cross-sectional study we included patients who were diagnosed with K. pneumoniae infections from different ICUs of Zagazig University Hospitals, which are referral hospitals serving many patients in eastern Egypt.  
Results: In this study 120 out of the 190 participants who had a confirmed K. pneumoniae infection were found to have CRKP infections. The XpertCarba-R assay was used to test the isolates for the presence of blaNDM, blaIMP, blaVIM, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48. The blaNDM (60%), blaOXA-48 (47.6%), and blaKPC (8.4%) genes were the most common. None of the isolates had either blaVIM or blaIMP present.
Conclusion: These current data indicate spread of CRKP isolates in our institution poses a serious health threat. Limiting transmission depends on early detection of isolates that are resistant to carbapenem. In order to prevent the spread of the CRKP, it is necessary to pay more attention to rationalizing the use of antibiotics and strengthening the application of infection control precautions, such as hand hygiene, patient isolation, environmental cleaning and antibiotics stewardship programs.