Investigation of biocide resistance genes in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates

Year 2023, Volume: 16 Issue: 2, 191 - 199, 17.08.2023

Harun Gülbudak , Gizem Görgülü , Efdal Oktay Gultekin , Seda Tezcan Ülger , Nuran Delialioğlu , Gönül Aslan

Abstract

Objective: Acinetobacter species are opportunistic pathogens that often cause nosocomial infections. Antiseptics and disinfectants play an important role in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. However, the widespread use of biocides in hospitals may cause emergence of resistance in bacteria. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the frequency of qacE, qacE∆1 and cepA genes associated with biocide resistance in A. baumannii strains. Method: In this study, 51 A. baumannii strains isolated from clinical specimens were included. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed with Microscan automated system. A. baumannii strains were confirmed by presence of the blaOxa-51-like gene. Biocide resistance genes qacE, qacE∆1 and cepA were investigated by PCR method. Results: In the study, qacE and qacE∆1 genes were detected in 51.0%(n=26) and 47.1% (n=24), respectively. However, cepA gene was found negative in all isolates. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was detected in 84.3% (n=43) of the isolates. qacE and qacE∆1 genes were found positive 41.9% (n=18), and 44.2% (n=19) in MDR isolates, while 100% (n=8) and 62.5% (n=5) were found positive in susceptible isolates. While there was no statistical difference in qacEΔ1 positivity between MDR and susceptible isolates (p=0.341); qacE positivity was found at a lower rate in MDR isolates than in susceptible ones (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result, qacE and qacE∆1 biocide resistance genes were found high in MDR and susceptible A. baumannii isolates. Therefore, it is important to consider that susceptible isolates may also be resistant to biocides in the prevention and control of nosocomial A. baumannii infections in hospitals.

Keywords

: A. baumannii, qacE, qacEΔ1, cepA, biocides

Acinetobacter baumannii izolatlarında biyosit direnç genlerinin araştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Acinetobacter türleri sıklıkla yoğun bakım ünitesinde yatan hastalarda nozokomiyal enfeksiyonlara neden olan fırsatçı patojenlerdir. Hastane enfeksiyonlarının önlenmesinde antiseptikler ve dezenfektanlar önemli rol oynamaktadır. Ancak biyositlerin yaygın olarak kullanılması bakterilerin dirençli hale gelmesine neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada klinik örneklerden izole edilen A. baumannii suşlarında biyosit direnci ile ilişkili qacE, qacE∆1 ve cepA gen bölgeleri sıklığının araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışmaya, klinik örneklerden izole edilen, 51 A. baumannii izolatı dahil edildi. Microscan otomatize sistemi ile identifikasyon ve antibiyotik duyarlılık testleri yapıldı. A. baumannii türleri blaOxa-51-like gen varlığı ile doğrulandı. Biyosit direnç gen bölgeleri qacE, qacE∆1 ve cepA PCR yöntemi ile araştırıldı. Bulgular: Çalışmada, qacE ve qacE∆1 genleri sırasıyla %51.0 (n=26) ve %47.1 (n=24) oranında tespit edilmiştir. Ancak cepA geni izolatların tamamında negatif bulunmuştur. İzolatların %84.3 (n=43)’ünde çoklu ilaç direnci (ÇİD) tespit edilmiştir. ÇİD izolatlarda qacE %41.9(n=18), qacE∆1 %44.2 (n=19) oranında pozitif; duyarlı izolatlarda ise qacE %100(n=8) ve qacE∆1 %62.5(n=5) oranında pozitif bulunmuştur. ÇİD ve duyarlı izolatlar arasında qacEΔ1 pozitifliğinde istatistiksel bir fark saptanmazken (p=0.341); ÇİD izolatlarda qacE pozitifliği duyarlı olanlara göre daha düşük oranda bulunmuştur (p<0.05). Sonuç: Sonuç olarak bu çalışmada, ÇİD ve duyarlı A. baumannii izolatlarında qacE ve qacE∆1 biyosit direnç genleri yüksek oranda bulunmuştur. Bu yüzden hastanelerde nozokomiyal A. baumannii enfeksiyonlarının önlenmesinde ve kontrolünde duyarlı izolatların da biyositlere dirençli olabileceğinin dikkate alınması önemlidir.

Keywords

A. baumannii, qacE, qacEΔ1, cepA, biyosit

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