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


Azardokht Tabatabaei
Khadijeh Ahmadi
Alireza Namazi Shabestari
Nastaran Khosravi
Ali Badamchi

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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eISSN: 1729-0503
print ISSN: 1680-6905