Molecular analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from burn patients by repetitive extra genic palindromic-PCR (rep-PCR)‎

Abstract EN

Background: Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa raise an important issue in burn patients.

Molecular epidemiologic studies have been used for investigating the genetic features of P.

aeruginosa and rep-PCR technique has been introduced as a rapid low cost method.

Objectives: This study focused on investigating the genetic similarity and antibiotic resistance pattern of P.

aeruginosa isolated from the clinical samples of burn patients in a major burn center in Khuzestan Province, Iran.

Methods: In a cross sectional study, a total of 75 strains of P.

aeruginosa were isolated from burn patients at Taleghani hospital, which is the main burn center in Ahvaz, Iran, during May- September, 2015.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was detected using the disk diffusion method.

Genetic relatedness of the isolates was analyzed by the rep-PCR technique.

Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed more than 80% of P.

aeruginosa isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, meropenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, ticarcillin, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin.

Based on the rep-PCR analysis, 20 different common types and 20 unique patterns were illustrated among P.

aeruginosa isolates.

Conclusions: According to the findings of our study, there were diverse and high-level resistant P.

aeruginosa strains in the major burn center in Khuzestan.

Therefore, we faced troubles controlling the diverse P.

aeruginosa clones in the burn patients.