Μοριακή ανίχνευση γονιδίων σχετιζόμενων με την κολιστίνη (mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-4, mcr-5, colistin resistance genes) σε βακτηριακά στελέχη της Νοτίου Ελλάδας

Abstract

This scientific review deals with the rise of the bacterial resistance against the antibiotic colistin and is accompanied by some results that emerged from experimental procedures in the Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology of the Medical School of the University of Crete. The first part, presents a brief overview of the history of antimicrobials, the properties of colistin, the use and side effects that have been reported, and the mode of action in Gram negative bacteria. An extensive analysis is made over the bacterial resistance, on the causes that make it of the biggest challenges in the field of both medicine and veterinary / animal husbandry, but also on the approach of one health. Colistin resistance is described in detail, a phenomenon that has been observed in the last decade and has been enhanced due to the recent discovery of 10 mcr (mobile colistin resistance) genes that impart resistance to Gram-negative bacteria against colistin. Data from recent literature on the occurrence of these genes are presented, on a national and worldwide level, while at the same time emphasis is given to the environment and the bacterial species that are mainly found. The second part, describes the materials, methods and experimental procedures used for the molecular detection of mcr-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 genes in 60 environmental strains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 60) which were isolated in the period 2011 to 2020 in the region of Crete and stored in appropriate conditions in the biological samples archive of the University of Crete. According to the results of the molecular test, none of these mcr genes were found in the studied strains. For a more comprehensive view of colistin resistance in these strains, further studies are recommended through the reference methods for colistin, Broth Microdilution, which can be taken into consideration with the results of this dissertation.