High frequency of simultaneous presence of ESBL and carbapenemase producers among nosocomial coliform isolates in Faisalabad, Pakistan

• Published in: Pakistan journal of medical sciences Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 34 - 39
• Main Authors: Irfan, Sofia, Azhar, Aysha, Bashir, Asad, Ahmed, Salman, Haque, Abdul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan Knowledge Bylanes 28-02-2021; AsiaNet Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd; Professional Medical Publications
• Subjects: Anopheles; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Bacterial infections; Bacterial pneumonia; Beta lactamases; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drug resistance; Drug resistance in microorganisms; E coli; Enzymes; Escherichia coli; Genes; Imipenem; Laboratories; Mutation; Nosocomial infections; Original; Pathogens; Pneumonia; Germany; Pakistan; Carbapenemase; K. pneumoniae; Extended Spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL); E.coli
• ISSN: 1682-024X; 1681-715X
• DOI: 10.12669/pjms.37.1.3192

The objective of the current study was to find prevalence of relevant ESBL and carbapenemase producing genes in nosocomial
and
isolates and to check phenotypic susceptibility of all ESBL positive isolates to carbapenems.
Forty ESBL producing clinical isolates of
(n=33) and
(n=7) were examined for the presence of β-lactamase genes (CTX-M, CTX-M-1, 2, 3, 4 and TEM). Carbapenem resistance was checked phenotypically and by presence of
gene.
Nine (27%) were positive for CTX-M genes, and 10 (30%) for TEM among
isolates. Importantly, six isolates showed co-existence of CTX-M and TEM genes. In
, two (28%) isolates were positive for CTX-M and one (14%) for TEM genes. Eight (24%)
and one (14%)
isolates were positive for CTX-M-1. Respective figures for CTX-M-4 were three (10%) and one (14%). CTX-M-2 and CTX-M-3 groups were not represented. Twenty (50%) isolates were resistant to both imipenem and meropenem out of which only four isolates expressed
gene.
The significant presence of both ESBL and carbapenemase producers and co-existence of ESBL and carbapenemases in the same isolates is worrisome.