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. 2021 Dec;21(4):1677-1684.
doi: 10.4314/ahs.v21i4.22.

Virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance pattern in Proteus mirabilis strains isolated from patients attended with urinary infections to Tertiary Hospitals, in Iran

Azardokht Tabatabaei  1 , Khadijeh Ahmadi  2 , Alireza Namazi Shabestari  3 , Nastaran Khosravi  1 , Ali Badamchi  4
Affiliations

Virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance pattern in Proteus mirabilis strains isolated from patients attended with urinary infections to Tertiary Hospitals, in Iran

Azardokht Tabatabaei et al. Afr Health Sci. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Proteus mirabilis is a frequent reason for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs). The aim of this study was to identify virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance patterns in P. mirabilis strains isolated from patients who attended a tertiary hospital in Iran.

Methods: In this study, 100 P. mirabilis strains from urine samples were isolated. These isolated strains were identified by biochemical and PCR-based tests, and their antibiotic resistance was profiled through a standard procedure using 14 antibiotics. PCR assays were used to detect virulence-related genes in P. mirabilis strains. The biofilm formation of each P. mirabilis strain was examined.

Results: Of the 100 P. mirabilis isolates, 16 (16%) were multidrug-resistant. High resistance was observed against cotrimoxazole (97%), nalidixic acid (93%), cefotaxime (77%), and amoxicillin (62%). Sixty of the 100 isolates showed resistance against extended-spectrum cephalosporins. The prevalence rates of the genes related to the virulence factors in this study were mrpH (100%), ucaA (91%), hpmA (94%), zapA (95%), ptaA (100%), ureG (100%), pmfA (100%), fliC (97%), and mrpA (90%) using PCR method. Strong biofilm formation was observed in 20% (5/25) of the strains isolated from non-catheterized samples and 80% (20/25) of strains isolated from catheterized samples.

Conclusions: Resistance to antibiotics and the prevalence of pathogenicity genes are high in Proteus mirabilis strains iolated from UTIs.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Proteus mirabilis; biofilm; virulence factors.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
The susceptibly pattern of 100 Proteus mirabilis isolates to 14 antimicrobial agents.
Fig 2
Fig 2
An electrophoresed gel showing PCR products. The left most lane represents a DNA ladder with fragments at 100bp intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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