Molecular detection of blaIMP and ompA genes in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from burn wound infections

Background: antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii can be acquired rapidly due mainly to chromosomal mutation, and its antibiotic-resistant metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) production has been claimed to have a great contribution to nosocomial infection. Objective: This study aimed to detect the presence of the blaIMP carbapenemase-producing gene and the ompA gene in bacterial isolates obtained from burn patients, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the role of these genes in antibiotic resistance. Methods: Cross-sectional research was conducted among a total of 150 clinical samples for patients of various ages and both sexes at the Specialist Burns Center inside Al-Diwaniyah, between October 2024 and April 2025. Every single one of these specimens went through cultivation on 5% blood agar and MacConkey agar. They were followed by incubating aerobically for 24 hours at 37°C. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (A.S.T.) was used to isolate organisms that produced carbapenemase; following that, the conventional PCR method had been utilized to identify the blaIMP as well as ompA genes. Results: The present cross-section study enrolled 150 swab samples from patients with burns, which were investigated for bacterial infection using bacteriological culture of swab samples. The isolation procedure resulted in obtaining 30 (20.0%) isolates of Gram-positive bacteria, 94 (62.7%) of Gram-negative bacteria, and 26 (17.3%) of mixed growth. Thirty-seven of several medical specimens were identified as A. baumannii. Utilizing A.S.T., for A. baumannii (n=37), total resistance to ampicillin and augmentin (100%) was also observed. Colistin (70.3%), meropenem (56.8%), and ceftriaxone (54.1%) demonstrated the best efficacy. Multidrug Resistant (MDR) and Extensively Drug Resistant (XDR) rates among A. baumannii isolates were 43.2% and 56.7%, respectively. Genotypic analysis of A. baumannii revealed high frequencies of ompA (51.4%) and blaIMP (45.9%) genes were detected. Conclusion: The presence of ompA and blaIMP genes in Acinetobacter baumannii means it can resist antibiotics and cause severe infections. Detecting these genes early helps improve treatment and prevent spread.