Molecular Detection of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Clinical Samples: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted at General Hospital Aliero, Kebbi State, North-west Nigeria

Abstract

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a significant pathogen that causes severe, difficult-to-treat diseases. The emergence and spread of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes has resulted public health concern epidemics and transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms. A total of 259 clinical specimens from patients were examined. The quantitative phenotypic method was used to assess hemolysin production and hyper mucu-viscosity (HV), disk diffusion method and double disc synergy test were used for antibiotic susceptibility testing and Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBLs) producing K. pneumoniae isolates. Out of 259 samples, 32 turn out to be Klebsiella pneumoniae, 15 (46.90%) of the 32 K. pneumoniae are evaluated positive for hemolysin production, and 3 (9.4%) tested positive for hyper mucu-viscosity. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed lowest resistance to imipenem (6.3%), meropenem (9.3%) and ciprofloxacin (28.1%), however, (56.2%) were resistant to cefotaxime, (53.1%) to cefpodoxime, and tetracycline. On the other hand, 19 (59.4%) of the 32 K. pneumoniae isolates tested positive for ESBLs. 14 (82.4%), 9 (52.9%), and 5 (29.4%) isolates were found to carry virulence factor genes, such as fimH, RmpA, and BssS. Subsequently, antimicrobial resistance genes encoding ESBLs producing enzymes like blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were 18 (94.7%), 10 (52.6%) and 3 (15.8%) were detected among the isolates. This study ascertains the worrisome presence of antibiotic resistant strains and the present of virulence and resistance genes. As a result, emergency stewardship programs to monitor antimicrobial resistance patterns in General Hospital Aliero facility is required.

Keyword:
Klebsiella. pneumoniae, Virulence factor, Antibiotic resistance genes, and ESBLS