Investigation of multidrug resistance (MDR) and distribution of blaPER, blaOXA-51 and blaOXA-23 genes in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients

One of the major problems in treating infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is the significant increase in antibiotic resistance. Several factors play a role in the resistance of bacteria to drugs and their pathogenicity, one of which is the beta-lactamase protein. Therefore, in this study, the multidrug resistance (MDR) and the distribution of the blaPER، blaOXA-51 and blaOXA-23 genes in A. baumannii were evaluated. Initially, 150 clinical samples were collected from patients admitted to Qochan Hospital in 1400. A. baumannii isolates were identified using specific biochemical tests. The phenotype of antibiotic susceptibility of A. baumannii isolates to cefepime, ceftriaxone, meropenem and colistin was studied by disc diffusion method. PCR was used to test for the presence of the blaPER، blaOXA-5  and blaOXA-23 genes in resistant isolates. The results showed that 33.3% of the samples were associated with A. baumannii infections, and A. baumannii was most commonly isolated from blood samples. In the antibiotic resistance study, 16% of A. baumannii isolates were sensitive to cefepime and 17% to ceftriaxone and meropenem antibiotics. No colistin resistant  isolates were detected. 75% of the isolates had the MDR phenotype. PCR showed that all resistant isolates tested carried all three genes blaPER، blaOXA-51  and blaOXA-23. The results showed that a high percentage of A. baumannii isolates tested were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics and a high percentage of carbapenem-resistant isolates produced beta-lactamase genes. The increase in the hospital prevalence of A. baumannii highlights the need to develop protective programmes such as the prevention and control of ICU-acquired infections. Molecular methods can also be used to identify these bacteria, determine their antibiotic resistance and prescribe antibiotics accordingly.