Study of some virulence factors of Enterobacter sakazakii isolated from different sources in Thi-Qar Province

Abstract EN

This study was aimed to identify the prevalence of some virulence factors in Enterobacter sakazakii isolated from stool specimens, infant formula and hospitals environments.

A total 310 samples ( 180 infant formula , 50 stool and 80 hospital environments ), during the period from September 2012 to March 2013.Only 22/310(7.09%)22from 310gave positive growth for Enterobacter spp.

as following: 9/80 (11.2%) environmental samples , 12/180(6.6%) infant formula and 1/50 (2%) stool samples.

Diagnosis of the isolates appeared that E.

cloacae was (15 ⁄ 22) while E.

sakazakii (4 ⁄ 22) and E.

aminogenus (3/22).Four E.

sakazakii isolates were screened for their antibiotic resistance against 20 antibiotics of different classes using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

The results showed that all the tested isolates were resistant to at least six antibiotics of which they were tested.

Four E.

sakazakii isolates were appeared unproductive for ESBLs and metallo –β-lactamases Only 2(50%) produced biofilm, while all isolates were appeared able to resist serum bactericidal activity, while Agglutination of erythrocytes was tested under the microscope and showed 3/4(75%) were positive .E.

sakazakii isolates were evaluated for enterotoxin production.

All isolates showed positive result for enterotoxin production.