Expression of bap Gene in Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates in Khorramabad, Iran

 Biofilm-associated protein (Bap) in Acinetobacter baumannii is an essential factor in biofilm production and persistence in the hospital environment.

 This study aimed to detect the bap gene in A. baumannii by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from clinical specimens in Khorramabad, Iran.

 This cross-sectional study was performed during April 2017 - April 2018 on 43 A. baumannii strains from clinical samples collected and identified by microbiological and biochemical tests. The expression of the bap gene was evaluated by real-time PCR. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 24.

 Out of 43 A. baumannii strains, 23, 8, 3, 3, 3, and 3 samples were isolated from chest sputum, wounds, urine, tissues, blood, and, respectively. According to the PCR results, all isolates had the bap gene except one. Real-time PCR showed significant differences in the expression of the bap gene between A. baumannii isolates from diverse clinical samples. The highest expression of the bap gene was found in chest sputum and wound samples and had a significant difference with other samples (P < 0.0001).

 We observed the bap gene in most strains, with the high expression of this gene in chest sputum and wound samples. Therefore, further studies are recommended to find strategies to inhibit the expression of this gene and biofilm formation, which help treat infections caused by biofilm-forming A. baumannii strains.