Prevalence of Class 1 Integron in Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolates from Hospitals of Sanandaj, Iran

Integrons as mobile genetic elements are located on the chromosome or on a plasmid in bacteria. Integrons play a main role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among different families of bacteria. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of class 1 integron in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from hospitals of Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, Iran.

Seventy Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were collected from Hospitals of Sanandaj. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern was performed by disc diffusion method. Class 1 integrons gene was screened by polymerase chain reaction assay. Data were analyzed by Fisher tests with STATA software program.

The highest and lowest rates of resistance were related to cefotaxime and imipenem, respectively. Thirteen (18.5%) out of 70 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates caring class 1 integron gene. Out of 28 multidrug resistant isolates, 11 isolates were identified to be positive for the existence of class 1 integrons.

class 1 integron positive isolates, compared to class 1 integron negative isolates, reveals resistance to more antibiotics.