Assessment of genetic determinants of virulence and fluoroquinolone resistance in Proteus mirabilis isolates from urinary tract infections in Egypt
Abstract
Background: Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) is a leading cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in both community and healthcare settings, especially in catheterized patients. Proteus species express various types of fimbriae that can serve as colonization-related virulence factors. The severity of infection escalates when these virulent strains acquire antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and genetic determinants of fluoroquinolone resistance in P. mirabilis isolates. Further, to screen for the presence of virulence genes encoding fimbriae and integrons.
Methods: A total of 103 P. mirabilis isolates were recovered from urine samples collected from catheterized and non-catheterized UTI patients at Minia University Hospitals, Egypt. Antimicrobial susceptibility of fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQR) isolates was evaluated using the disc diffusion method. Phenotypic detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was then performed, followed by molecular analysis for ESBL and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes within the FQR isolates. All P. mirabilis isolates were screened by PCR for four virulence genes encoding fimbriae. Additionally, class 1, 2, and 3 integrons were investigated.
Results: Among the 103 P. mirabilis isolates, 47 (45.6%) were non-susceptible to ciprofloxacin, of which 22 exhibited intermediate non-susceptibility and 25 were resistant. Multidrug resistance…
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