Molecular Detection of Some Tetracycline Resistance Genes Among Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Background: The Gram-negative bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is frequently responsible for nosocomial infections, including pneumonia, immunocompromised hosts, and infections in people with structural lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis. P. aeruginosa has several virulence mechanisms, including quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and secreted toxins, which enhance its capacity to cause serious infections. Methods: One hundred specimens from burns, wounds, diabetic foot, throat swabs, and urine were collected from diabetic patients between the ages of (20-60) years. They were then cultivated using brain-heart infusion, MacConkey agar, and Cetrimide agar. 30 out of 100 (30%) specimens gave positive results for P.aeuroginosa isolates, including 12 out of 30 (40%) male and 18 out of 30 (60%) female specimens. Biochemical tests and the Vitek 2 system were used to identify and diagnose the P.aeruginosa isolates. After that, an antibiotic sensitivity test was then conducted. Results: The results showed that 27/30 (90%), and 26/30 (86.7%) of P. aeruginosa isolates gave highly resistant results for the drugs Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and Ceftazidime respectively, in contrast to 27/30 (90%), 25/30 (83.3%), and 18/30 (60%) of P. aeruginosa isolates that gave highly sensitive results for the Polymyxin B,   Minocycline, and Meropenem, respectively. 16/30 (53.3%) of P. aeruginosa isolates showed sensitive results for the tetracycline, whereas 14 /30 (46.7%) showed resistant results for the Tetracycline drug. Conclusion: The molecular results of the current study showed 16/30 (53.3%) isolates of P. aeruginosa that carried the tet C gene.