PCR detection of spreading TEM and CTX-M gene in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from urinary tract infection

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

^* Corresponding author: duhaa.kashkool@student.uokufa.edu.iq

Abstract

Mostly, urine is devoid of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, making it sterile. However, an infection may arise when minuscule organisms, mostly bacteria from the digestive system, attach to the urethral opening and proliferate, leading to infections. This research seeks to identify the B-lactam genes responsible for antibiotic resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae linked with infections, as well as their resistance to treatments. This inquiry specifically focuses on this aspect. The primary focus of the study was identifying bacterial isolates by established diagnostic methods. The secondary objective was to assess the resistance and sensitivity of antibiotics. Lastly, the study used the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method to ascertain the presence of the blaCTX-M and blaTEM genes. Within the period from November 2022 to June 2023, a 540 clinical samples were gathered from patients with urinary tract infections at Al-Hakim General Hospital, Al-Sadr City Hospital, Al-Furate Al-Awsat Hospital, and Al-Zahra Maternity and Children in AL-Najaf governorate. A total of 120 samples were found to be tainted with Klebsiella pneumoniae. This study assessed the sensitivity of the test using the disk diffusion method. The findings indicated that Klebsiella pneumoniae exhibited high levels of resistance to a road scope of antibiotics, namely Ampicillin/sulbactam, Ampicillin, and Ticarcillin/Clavulanic acid. Additionally, some isolates showed resistance to Cefotaxime. The experiment yielded diverse outcomes for the quinolone, aminoglycoside, and macrolide groups. Among the 120 samples that were examined, 87 of them showed positive results for K. pneumoniae when the PCR technique was used to detect the presence of the blaCTX-M gene. On the other hand, 36 samples tested positive for K. pneumoniae when the blaTEM gene was used. The specimens were obtained from the urine of individuals diagnosed with urinary tract infections.