Frequency of Gene-Producing Strains (aprA, rhlI, rhlR, algD) in Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Isolated from Hospitals of South Fars

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes various infections, especially in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. Antibiotic resistance and biofilm production are recognized as two significant factors in the pathogenesis of this bacteria.

The isolates were detected and identified based on standard microbiological and biochemical methods.  The PCR technique was used to detect algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes.

The results of evaluating the antibiotic resistance indicated the effective antibiotics in the treatment of this bacterium respectively as follows: Colistin (with 0% resistance), Polymyxin B (with 0% resistance), Meropenem (1 isolate) (with 2.5% resistance), Ciprofloxacin (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance), Imipenem (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance), and Amikacin (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance). Detecting and tracing of algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes revealed that 100% of the isolates carried the algD gene, 96% of the isolates carried the rhlR gene, 94% of the isolates carried the rhlL gene, and finally, 91% of the isolates carried the aprA gene.

 The results demonstrated the high presence of algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.. Considering the high prevalence of the algD gene in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains of the current study, which is involved in the capsule production process, it seems essential and vital to control the infections of this bacterium due to the existence of multiple resistance and its ability to produce capsules.