Detection of MCR-1 Gene in Colistin resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolated from Intensive Care Unit in Khartoum State Hospital, Sudan (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Colistin resistant Klebsiella species are increasingly being reported as causes of suppurative infections. Colistin resistance has emerged globally, threatening the efficacy of one of the last-resort antimicrobials used to treat MDR Gram-negative bacteria. However, data on the prevalence of mcr genes remain limited. OBJECTIVE This study was to determine the prevalence of the mcr-1 gene in colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from different intensive care units (ICUs) in Khartoum State hospitals. METHODS A total of 100 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from ICUs were re-identified based on colony morphology, Gram staining, and biochemical characterization. All confirmed Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PCR was used to detect the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 colistin resistance gene. RESULTS Out of the 100 isolates, 8 (8%) were found to be colistin-resistant, with the mcr-1 gene detected in one sample (1%). The detection of colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a concerning development, signaling the emergence of resistance for health authorities and the community. CONCLUSIONS Notably, this research is the first to detect the mcr-1 gene in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from human samples in Sudan. Further studies on additional resistance genes and larger sample sizes, including cultivation of mcr-carrying bacteria, are needed to determine the spread of these genes in human pathogens and to elucidate the full epidemiology of colistin resistance in humans