Molecular Characterization and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Isolated Acinetobacter baumannii in Iran

Abstract In this study, the prevalence of efflux pump genes (AdeABC) and genetic association of MDR A. baumanii isolated from intensive care units were investigated. Detection of A. baumanii was performed using species-specific PCR. Disc-diffusion antibiotic susceptibility tests of isolated strains and amplification of AdeABC genes (adeA, adeB, adeC, and adeM) were performed. Isolates were also subjected to the Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic-PCR (rep-PCR) to identify isolates clonality. The highest number of resistant A. baumanii isolates was observed in response to cephalexin, tetracycline, and cefixime (over 80% of isolates). A. baumanii isolates had the highest sensitivity in response to imipenem and amikacin (~ 50% of isolates). The distribution of adeA, adeB, adeM, and adeC in isolates were as follow; 186, 165, 172, and 117 isolates. A. baumanii was observed at an alarming level in this study (183, 93.84%). Based on rep-PCR, remarkable interspecific diversity was observed among isolates.