Detection of antibiotic susceptibility pattern and biofilm production in multidrug resistance Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from COVID-19 patients in Kirkuk City

Abstract

Abstract Background: The spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens is a serious problem and challenge for the whole medical community. Multidrug resistance Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDRKP) infections in COVID-19 patients have a severe course and may be fatal. Increasingly, these bacteria show resistance to more than one antibiotic category, which have been used to decrease the risk and severity of secondary bacterial infection caused by this pathogen. Aim: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of MDRKP among COVID-19 patients and antibiotic susceptibility pattern with biofilm formation of isolate. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 330 sputum sample collected from five hospitals and cultured. Antibiotic resistance pattern of K. pneumoniae isolates and their molecular characterization were studied using disk diffusion, vitek-2 AST-N222. The biofilm production was detected by microtiter plate method (MTP). Results: Of 49 isolates from 330 patients, 20 identified as K. pneumoniae; all K. pneumoniae isolates are MDR had varying levels of resistance to antibiotics 20 (100%) for ampicillin, 18 (90%) piperacillin, 16 (80%) for cefazolin, ceftazidime and cefepime, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, 7 (35%) for tetracycline, and 3 (15%), 2 (10%) for ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, respectively. MTP method showed that eight (40%) of isolates were biofilm producers, and 60% of isolates were nonbiofilm producers and had more resistance than biofilm producers. Conclusion: MDRKP was prevalent among gram-negative bacteria isolated from COVID-19 patients and cause increased fatality rate.