Incidence of drug resistance and expression of bla     and adeA genes   among Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from hospitalized patients at a government hospital in Irbid, Jordan

Aya  Maytah; Omar  AlKofahi; Rania  Al-Groom; Mohd Sajjad  Ahmad Khan; Basem Fouad  Dababneh; Anas  Da'meh; Rahaf  Alsarayereh; Fuad  Alhawarat; Heba Ahmad Al Shqairat

doi:10.18502/ijm.v17i5.19881

Aya Maytah Department of Basic Sciences, Ma′an University College, Al-Balqa Applied University, Ma′an, Jordan
Omar AlKofahi Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan
Rania Al-Groom Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan
Mohd Sajjad Ahmad Khan Department of Basic Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Basem Fouad Dababneh Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
Anas Da'meh Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan
Rahaf Alsarayereh Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan
Fuad Alhawarat Department of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II Academy for Civil Protection, Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt, Jordan
Heba Ahmad Al Shqairat Precision Medical Lab (PMLAB), AL-Karak, Jordan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i5.19881

Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; Electrophoresis; Agar gel; Carbapenemase; Drug resistance; Efflux pump; Erythro- mycin; Oxacillin

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen principally related with hospital-acquired infections. This study aimed to isolate and identify A. baumannii strains, investigate their resistance to various antibiotics, and characterize A. baumannii at the molecular level.

Materials and Methods: A total of 100 samples were obtained from various hospital departments, including the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency room, kidney dialysis and surgery units. The incidence of drug resistance was studied using the Vitek 2 Compact system and further using molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction to analyze the genes responsible for resistance.

Results: The study exhibited a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii isolates, especially in ICU pa- tients. The males were the predominant group, accounting for 60% whereas females were 40%. The most frequent samples were from urine (43%) and skin (24%). Majority of samples were from the ICU (42%) and emergency departments (20%).The tested isolates exhibited the highest resistance (66%) to oxacillin, whereas the maximum sensitivity (52%) was recordedfor Erythromycin. Molecular analysis revealed the occurrence of resistance genes bla, bla, bla , and bla ,which contribute to carbapenem resistance.

Conclusion: The findings emphasize that A. baumannii remains a formidable nosocomial pathogen, and there is pressing requirement for enhanced infection control procedures and antibiotic stewardship. Through improved molecular observation, judicious use of antibiotics and improved infection control practices, healthcare providers can alleviate the impact of MDR A. baumannii infections and improve the prognosis for affected patients in Jordan and beyond.