Prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes among ciprofloxacin-nonsusceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from clinical isolates in Najaf, Iraq

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants in ciprofloxacin-Resistance Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from patients in Najaf. Methods: A total of 134 non-duplicate isolates of ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli (n=60) and K. pneumoniae (n=74) from clinical isolates cultures were obtained. The qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, qnrC, qnrD, aac(6′)-Ib-cr, and qepA genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The study was revealed out of 134 non-repetitive quinolones resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates, 46(76.6%) E. coli and 47 (66.7%) K. pneumoniae isolates had at least one PMQR quinolones resistant gene. 22 (16.4%) qnrB-positive isolates were identified, including 5 (8.33%) E. coli, and 17(23%) K. pneumoniae, 8(5.97%) qnrS were identified, including 7(11.7%) E. coli, and 1(1.4%) K. pneumoniae, 3(2.2%) qnr A were identified, including 1(1.6%) E. coli, and 22(2.7%) K. pneumoniae, 3 qepA-positive isolates were identified, including 3(4.1%) K. pneumoniae. The aac (6′)-Ib-cr variant gene was detected in 85(63.4%) including 46(79.7%) E. Coli and 39 (52.7%) of the clinical isolates K. Pneumoniae. Conclusion: This study detected several of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes among ciprofloxacin-nonsusceptible E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolated, many of them detected for the first time in Najaf, Iraq, like qnrA, qnrB, qnrS genes with predominance of qnrB gene, in addition to qepA gene in K. pneumoniae.