First Report of Class 1 and Class 2 Integrons in quinolones resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from Najaf, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections and one of the leading causes of many diseases, and become public health concern especially when characterized as multidrug resistance. Quinolone-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered a serious global threat. However, little is known regarding their multidrug resistance (MDR) and the rule of integron classes in this phenotype. The present study was conducted to investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalence of class 1and 2 integrons in quinolone resistance clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae from Najaf, Iraq patients.

Methods: A total of 109 K. pneumoniae were isolated, the quinolone-resistance isolates were chosen for antibiotic resistance test and presence of class I and II integron by PCR.

Results: Of the 109 K. pneumoniae isolates tested, 74 (67.8%) were shown resistant to quinolone was chosen for further studies. Among the clinical specimens, a total of 40 (54%) and 30 (40.5%) of quinolones resistant isolates, 47 (63.5%) isolates were MDR, while 23 (31%) were considered as XDR, and PDR isolates were identified in 4 (5.4%) isolates that resistant to all agents in all antimicrobial categories tested. Among the 109 isolates, 51 (46.7%) were observed to have integrons, whereas, no class 2 integrons were detected.  Among the 74 QRKP isolates the class 1 integron present in 41(55.4%0), while present in only 10(28.5%) of quinolone susceptible K. pneumoniae isolates, and were found strongly associated with QRKP isolates

 Conclusion: quinolone resistance becomes the one of leading concern in global public health. Findings of this study clearly obviously show that resistance to this antibiotics is associated with the existence of class 1 integrons suggests that integron may be assisting forward the spread of quinolone-resistant in Najaf. A serious threat to human health may associate with quinolone resistance bacteria among worldwide.