Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

DETECTION OF SOME VIRULENCE GENES IN KLEBSIELLA SPP. ISOLATED FROM COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN BASRA CITY, IRAQ

H.M. Alhajem, M. A. Almazini, B. Y. Khudaier and Al-Rubeai D.B.

Abstract

The study included the collection of 195 sputum samples from patients with community-acquired pneumonia. 13 (11.50%) Klebsiella pneumoniae and 5(4.42%) Klebsiella oxytoca isolates have been isolated and diagnosed initially with a number of biochemical tests then a confirmed diagnosis using the VITEK device. The antibiotic susceptibility of K.pneumoniae isolates against 15 antibiotics was tested using disc diffusion method as well as a phenotypic investigation to the production of extended spectrum beta-lactamase for both K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca. The polymerase chain reaction technique was used to detect the presence of three virulence genes Fim-H, RmpA, UreA and beta-lactam resistance genes TEM, SHV. The results showed the highest resistance rate (100%) against amoxicillin, ampicillin/cloxacillin and vancomycin followed by (92.3%) against amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalothin, ceftazidime and erythromycin. Phenotypically, 7(53.84%), 1(20%) isolates of K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca respectively, were able to produce beta-lactamase. Results showed variation in the presence of virulence genes, FimH-1 gene was found in all 13(100%), 5(100%) K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca isolates respectively, RmpA gene was found in only one (7.7%) isolate of K.pneumoniae while UreA gene was found in 8(61.53%), 2(40%) isolates of K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca, respectively as well as TEM gene was present in 6(46.15%), 2(40%) isolates of K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca but SHV gene was found in only K.pneumoniae 10(76.92%) isolates while 4(30.76%) K.pneumoniae isolates have both TEM, SHV genes.