Challenge of Frequency of blaZ gene among Staphylococcus epidermidis Harboring mecA gene Isolated from Clinical Samples in Iraq's Al-Basrah Governorate

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

Authors

1 Department of Pathological analyses, College of Science, University of Basrah, Iraq.

2 Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Rapidly identifying Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from various types of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) is essential, but identifying resistant agents can also significantly enhance existing diagnostic and treatment approaches. Objectives: To identify the patterns of β-lactam antibiotic sensitivity and methicillin resistance, and identify mecA and blaZ in S. epidermidis isolates from clinical specimen collections in the Iraqi province of Al-Basrah. Methodology: The current study detected one hundred isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). A variety of clinical samples, such as blood, urine, skin, surgical wounds, and tracheal and ocular swabs, were used to collect these isolates.  The isolates were identified as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Identification was confirmed using the Vitek®2 technology and standard biochemical assays. Using PCR and certain primers, the β-lactamase gene blaZ and the Methicillin resistance gene (mecA) were discovered. Results: The isolates of S. epidermidis showed the highest sensitivity to Cephalexin (64.1%) and the highest resistance to Penicillin (87.2%). According to agar screening, 51.3% of S. epidermidis isolates gave positive results for Methicillin-resistant. Of the 39 S. epidermidis isolates that were subjected to PCR analysis, 82.1% of respondents obtained positive results for the blaZ gene and 59% for the mecA gene. Conclusions: Prevalence of  mecA gene and blaZ gene between the S. epidermidis isolates gave the alert to increase the virulence of   S. epidermidis, also PCR showed more accurate results to detection of mecA gene and blaZ gene in clinical isolates.

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