Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most commonly isolated bacteria from clinical specimens, with increasing isolation frequency in nosocomial infections. Herein, we investigated whether antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa strains, e.g., metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing isolates, may possess a reduced number of virulence genes, resulting from appropriate genome management to adapt to a changing hospital environment. Hospital conditions, such as selective pressure, may lead to the replacement of virulence genes by antimicrobial resistance genes that are crucial to survive under current conditions. The study aimed to compare, using PCR, the frequency of the chosen enzymatic virulence factor genes (alkaline protease-aprA, elastase B-lasB, neuraminidases-nan1 and nan2, and both variants of phospholipase C-plcH and plcN) to MBL distribution among 107 non-duplicated carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. The gene encoding alkaline protease was noted with the highest frequency (100%), while the neuraminidase-1 gene was observed in 37.4% of the examined strains. The difference in lasB and nan1 prevalence amongst the MBL-positive and MBL-negative strains, was statistically significant. Although P. aeruginosa virulence is generally more likely determined by the complex regulation of the virulence gene expression, herein, we found differences in the prevalence of various virulence genes in MBL-producers.
Highlights
Pseudomonas spp. are typically opportunistic pathogens implicated in a wide range of plant, animal, and human infections
It has been shown previously that the most common P. aeruginosa carbapenemases in Poland are VIMand IMP-like enzymes and that the incidence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) strains and their contribution to infections are increasing [1,3,4,5]
The genes coding for MBLs were detected in 32 (29.9%) of the tested strains. blaVIM genes were exclusively detected in the strains, but none of the examined strains were positive for the presence of the blaIMP gene, suggesting other resistance mechanism than one of the mentioned MBLs
Summary
Pseudomonas spp. are typically opportunistic pathogens implicated in a wide range of plant, animal, and human infections. P. aeruginosa has intrinsic resistance to numerous antimicrobial agents and acquires resistance to many antibiotics, including carbapenems [2]. These betalactams (e.g., imipenem and meropenem) are often the last resort antibiotics. It has been shown previously that the most common P. aeruginosa carbapenemases in Poland are VIMand IMP-like enzymes and that the incidence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) strains and their contribution to infections are increasing [1,3,4,5]. New types of carbapenem resistance (e.g., IMP, NDM, DIM and PME β-lactamases) amongst P. aeruginosa strains are detected in Europe [5], which is proof of the ongoing evolution of these bacteria. It is noteworthy that some interesting recent findings on complex CRPA strains resistance, in Poland, have been made [5]
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