Tandem Repeat Analysis For Typing Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Carrying Resistance Genes In Southern Iran

Pseudomonas aeruginosais known to be one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections, with high antimicrobial resistance. Thus, the current study was conducted to evaluate usefulness of multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) plan for epidemiological studies and clustering of P. aeruginosaisolated in different wards of general hospital in Bandar Abbas, south of Iran, as well as assessment of presence of integrons and resistance genes in these strains.A total of 72 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosawere isolated from the patients hospitalized in the hospital from December 2017 to June 2018 in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran. MLVA of seven VNTR markers was performed for differentiating and genetic relatedness of isolates. PCR amplification was conducted for detection of bla(HSV), bla(VEB), int1 and int2 genes.MLVA assay with seven loci resolved 36 different genotypes. Nearly all the isolates were classified into 6 different clonal complexes and 15 singletons.High-level resistance rate was observed in ceftazidime (44; 61%). Nine (12.5%) of these isolates showed multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. Seven (9.7%), 5 (6.9%), 46 (63.8%) and 6 (8.3%) of isolates carried bla(HSV), bla(VEB), int1 and int2 genes, respectively.Seven VNTR markers used in this study provided a moderate discriminatory power and differentiated 36 genotypes among 72 isolates. In addition, presence of class 1 and class 2 integrons, bla(HSV) and bla(VEB) in different clones indicated a high risk of spreading of MDR isolates among these clones. Results obtained from specification of different tandem repeats in the current study can be helpful to be used for MLVA in epidemiological surveillance ofP. aeruginosaisolates in different regions.Copyright (C) 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.