Molecular Detection of bla OXA-48 Gene Encoding Carbapenem Resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates from Khartoum State Hospitals, Sudan

AbatractCarbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas.aeruginosa is particularly worrisome because this class of β-lactam represents the last therapeutic resource for control of bacterial infection.So this study aimed to detect the frequency of bla OXA-48 resistance gene among Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates during the period from November 2018 to November 2019.Hundred Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates, 81 carbapenems (imipenem meropenem) resistant and 19 carbapenems sensitive were collected from Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Fedail Hospital and Soba Teaching Hospital in Khartoum State-Sudan. All isolates were re-identified using conventional bacteriological techniques, their susceptibility to carbapenems were tested using Kirby-Bauer method for confirmation and investigated for the presence of the bla OXA-48 gene using conventional PCR technique.60 (60.0%) out of 100 Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates were positive for blaOXA-48 gene. Out of 81 carbapenem resistant isolates 54(66.7%) were positive for bla OXA-48 gene, while among the (19) carbapenem sensitive isolates 6 (31.6%) were positive for blaOXA-48 gene. There was statistically significant association between carbapenem resistant isolates and the presence of blaOXA-48 gene (P-value = 0.006).Wound swabs were the predominant clinical samples detected harboring bla OXA-48 gene both among the sensitive 5 (83.3%) and carbapenem resistant isolates 29(53.7) (P.value> 0.05).Our findings revealed high frequency of bla OXA-48 among carbapenem resistant isolates so identification of bla OXA-48 producing strains and taking efforts to reduce the rate of transferring these gene between the different strains is essential for optimization of therapy and improves of patients outcomes.