Characterization and molecular epidemiology of extensively prevalent nosocomial isolates of drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp

Genet Mol Res. 2016 Aug 19;15(3). doi: 10.4238/gmr.15038608.

Abstract

Acinetobacter sp isolates deserve special attention once they have emerged globally in healthcare institutions because they display numerous intrinsic and acquired drug-resistance mechanisms. This study assessed the antibiotic susceptibility profile, the presence of the genetic marker blaOXA-23, and the clonal relationship among 34 nosocomial isolates of Acinetobacter spp obtained at a hospital in southeastern Brazil. Antibiotic sensitivity analysis was performed by the standard disc-diffusion method. All isolates were found to be extensively resistant to several drugs, but sensitive to polymyxin B. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to detect the blaOXA-23 gene, which is associated with carbapenem resistance. The genetic profile and the clonal relationship among isolates were analyzed via enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR. The Acinetobacter spp were divided into four groups with 22 distinct genetic subgroups. ERIC-PCR analysis revealed the genetic diversity among isolates, which, despite having a heterogeneous profile, displayed 100% clonality among 56% (19/34) of them.

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter / genetics*
  • Acinetobacter / isolation & purification
  • Acinetobacter Infections / epidemiology
  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • Young Adult
  • beta-Lactam Resistance
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • beta-Lactamases