Iranian Journal of Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Antifungal activity of polyphenolic compounds against fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant <i>Candida</i> species.","authors":"Harmed Fakhim, Bahar Mohamadi, Shima Gharibi, Medhi Rahimmalek, Mahnaz Hosseini Rizi, Mahsa Shelerangkon, Elahe Nasri, Fariba Dorostkar, Antoni Szumny, Afsane Vaezi","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The rapid emergence of resistant fungi is occurring worldwide, and this crisis has been attributed to the lack of new antifungal drug development. This issue emphasizes the need for innovation in finding novel antifungals. There is an increasing interest in using the natural products of plants with high biological activity as alternatives to synthetic drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the possible applicability of polyphenols as alternative antifungal drugs to treat resistant <i>Candida</i> infections.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A panel of fluconazole-resistant (n=14) and fluconazole-susceptible (n=26) clinical <i>Candida</i> isolates was obtained from the reference culture collection. The determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fluconazole, tannic acid, rosmarinic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric was carried out following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The MIC values of 40 <i>Candida</i> species isolates ranged from 0.25 to >64 μg/mL for polyphenolic compounds. The highest inhibitory effect against <i>Candida</i> species was observed with tannic acid, followed by fluconazole. Non-<i>albicans Candida</i> groups were more sensitive to tannic acid compared to <i>C. albicans</i> isolates. Significant differences were observed in the MICs of fluconazole and tannic acid against non-<i>albicans Candida</i> isolates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The increasing antifungal resistance highlights the importance of evaluating new drugs that are more robust against resistance. This study suggests that tannic acid could be considered a novel antifungal agent for managing fungal infections, including multidrug-resistant non-<i>albicans Candida</i> infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"342-347"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053427/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143996939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal effect of soil <i>Bacillus</i> bacteria on pathogenic species of the fungal genera <i>Aspergillus</i> and <i>Trichophyton</i>.","authors":"Mahnour Alsadat Taghavi, Maryam Ahmadi, Davoud Dehghan-Nayeri, Zahra Salehi, Masoomeh Shams-Ghahfarokhi, Fatemehsadat Jamzivar, Mehdi Razzaghi-Abyaneh","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18397","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The increasing prevalence of fungal infections due to antifungal resistance underscores the need for novel treatment strategies. The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of soil-originated antagonistic bacteria against <i>Aspergillus</i> and <i>Trichophyton</i> species.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Fifty soil samples collected from Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces by using the Zig-Zag method were cultured on glucose-yeast extract (GY) agar around fungal colonies to isolate antagonistic bacteria. Antifungal activity was assessed by measuring clear zones around the colonies of <i>A. niger, A. fumigatus, T. rubrum,</i> and <i>T. mentagrophytes</i> by co-culture linear method. Potent antagonistic bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, and evaluated for antifungal activity using disk diffusion assays compared with amphotericin B and ketoconazole.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 50 samples, fifteen showed antifungal effects, yielding 55 bacterial strains. Four isolates with strong antifungal activity against all tested fungi were identified as <i>Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. axarquiensis,</i> and <i>Bacillus</i> sp. These bacteria were distributed in distinct clusters phylogenitically and showed diverse antifungal activity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results suggest the potential of soil-derived <i>Bacillus</i> species as promising antifungal agents. Further studies are recommended to identify their inhibitory metabolites, their ability as biocontrol agents against soil habitated fungi and to explore their mechanism of action and spectrum of activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"303-311"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144019733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into global transcriptomic profile of biofilm producing <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> clinical isolates from chronic foot ulcers.","authors":"Kumar Ebineshan, Aparna Srikantam, Michael Sukumar Pallapati","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18394","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong><i>Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)</i> is one of the predominant biofilm producing pathogen in leprosy foot ulcer (LFU). The objective of this study was to identify the transcriptome profile through Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach in mature biofilm of leprosy foot ulcer isolate of <i>S. aureus.</i></p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2019 to May 2022 and a total of twenty-seven <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were collected from the foot ulcers of leprosy patients. All <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were screened for biofilm formation in vitro. Initially, two potential biofilm producing isolates and two planktonic cells were selected for transcriptome comparison.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>With reference to transcriptome profile, out of 2,842 genes, 2,688 genes in mature biofilm and 2,685 genes in planktonic cells were expressed. Among them, forty-five differentially expressed genes with 32 and 13 genes showing up and down regulation respectively were obtained.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The research emphasizes the need for continued exploration into the mechanisms of biofilm formation by <i>S. aureus</i>, particularly in the context of leprosy foot ulcers. Understanding these pathways not only aids in grasping the complexity of chronic infections but also paves the way for innovative therapeutic approaches aimed at mitigating biofilm-related complications in clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"211-219"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053402/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144013067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular assessment of <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> in horses in Northwestern Iran.","authors":"Somayyeh Hosseinzadeh, Katayoon Nofouzi, Faezah Hasanzadeh, Saber Esmaeili, Esmail Ayen","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18389","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Q fever is a frequently occurring illness that is induced by the bacterium <i>Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii</i>) that can infect humans and various animals. It targets the macrophage cells in the tissues, and circulating monocytes.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This study was conducted between 2022 and 2023 in the West Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces of northwestern Iran to examine the presence infection of <i>C. burnetii</i>. Specimens were obtained by swabbing from 140 mares (70 from each province) and 20 stallions (10 from each province) which were apparently healthy, and their DNA was analyzed using quantitative PCR assay detecting the <i>IS1111</i> element of the bacterium.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings indicated that a mere 0.625% of the examined specimens tested positive for <i>C. burnetii</i>. Among the entire set of specimens, a single female horse from the region of Ardabil was found to be the carrier of the bacterium.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This suggested that even though horses may not display any clinical symptoms, they can still harbor <i>C. burnetii</i> and contribute to its transmission. Therefore, the potential contribution of horses to Q fever transmission should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"287-292"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Activity of cefiderocol on extensively drug-resistant <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> from burn wound infections in Mansoura, Egypt.","authors":"Rasha El-Mahdy, Ahmed Mostafa, Nora El-Tantawy, Raghdaa Shrief","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Increased <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> antibiotic resistance limits treatment options and is associated with a higher level of mortality and mordacity. The purpose of this research was to identify class 1 and 2 integrons, carbapenemase, <i>SHV</i>, and <i>TEM</i> genes in extensively drug-resistant (XDR) <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolated from infected burns and evaluate their in vitro cefiderocol activity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>By using the disc diffusion method, the antimicrobial susceptibility of 110 <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates collected from infected burns were evaluated. XDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> were screened phenotypically for carbapenemase and extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) production. Both MIC Test Strip and disc diffusion were employed to test the cefiderocol susceptibility. PCR was used to assess carbapenemase, <i>SHV</i> and <i>TEM</i> genes and integrons class 1 and 2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From the 110 <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, 54 isolates (49%) were XDR. TEM gene was detected in 35 isolates. Among XDR isolates, carbapenemase genes were detected in 31.5%, with <i>NDM</i> being predominant Thirty XDR isolates had class1 integrons. All isolates were sensitive to cefiderocol and its MIC₅₀/MIC₉₀ was 0.5/1.5mg/L (range 0.064-1.5mg/L).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nearly half the <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates from burn infections were extensively drug-resistant. Cefiderocol's in vitro activity demonstrated that it is a promising therapy alternative for treating extensively drug-resistant <i>P. aeruginosa</i> in burn patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"246-252"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053395/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143990737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal activity of polyphenolic compounds against fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant <i>Candida</i> species.","authors":"Harmed Fakhim, Bahar Mohamadi, Shima Gharibi, Medhi Rahimmalek, Mahnaz Hosseini Rizi, Mahsa Shelerangkon, Elahe Nasri, Fariba Dorostkar, Antoni Szumny, Afsane Vaezi","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The rapid emergence of resistant fungi is occurring worldwide, and this crisis has been attributed to the lack of new antifungal drug development. This issue emphasizes the need for innovation in finding novel antifungals. There is an increasing interest in using the natural products of plants with high biological activity as alternatives to synthetic drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the possible applicability of polyphenols as alternative antifungal drugs to treat resistant <i>Candida</i> infections.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A panel of fluconazole-resistant (n=14) and fluconazole-susceptible (n=26) clinical <i>Candida</i> isolates was obtained from the reference culture collection. The determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fluconazole, tannic acid, rosmarinic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric was carried out following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The MIC values of 40 <i>Candida</i> species isolates ranged from 0.25 to >64 μg/mL for polyphenolic compounds. The highest inhibitory effect against <i>Candida</i> species was observed with tannic acid, followed by fluconazole. Non-<i>albicans Candida</i> groups were more sensitive to tannic acid compared to <i>C. albicans</i> isolates. Significant differences were observed in the MICs of fluconazole and tannic acid against non-<i>albicans Candida</i> isolates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The increasing antifungal resistance highlights the importance of evaluating new drugs that are more robust against resistance. This study suggests that tannic acid could be considered a novel antifungal agent for managing fungal infections, including multidrug-resistant non-<i>albicans Candida</i> infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"342-347"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144010309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Onychomycosis among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Tehran, Iran: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Fatemeh Fathi, Farhad Shahi, Alireza Khosravi, Zahra Saffarian, Nader Safarian, Mir Saeed Yekaninejad, Zoha Shaka","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18392","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18392","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Due to the persistence of residual fungal elements, onychomycosis tends to have a high recurrence rate. It is essential to determine the etiology and frequency of onychomycosis across various factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of onychomycosis and identify its fungal agents in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was conducted on cancer patients attending the Oncology Clinic and Cancer Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Among the 165 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 75 individuals with nail alterations were referred to a dermatologist. Each patient's information, including demographics, disease-related data, and details about nail involvement, was recorded. When onychomycosis was suspected, nail samples were collected from the deepest part and examined using a light microscope after clarifying with 15% potassium hydroxide (KOH) to detect fungal elements.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of onychomycosis was 37.6% (n=62). Among the 75 patients with nail alterations and suspected onychomycosis, 17.3% (n=13) tested negative for pathogenic agents. The most common pathogen was <i>Candida albicans,</i> present in 21% (13/62) of patients with positive onychomycosis. The prevailing nail alteration was onycholysis, affecting 45.3% (34/75) of patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Onychomycosis exhibits associations with variables such as gender, age, cancer and chemotherapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"321-327"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144063855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i> associated urinary tract infections using VITEK 2 system.","authors":"Parviz Mohajeri, Hossein Faridafshar, Sara Kooti","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>As a Gram-positive bacterium, <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i> or Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is normally found as a transient flora of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of women. The high prevalence of GBS in the urethra warrants investigation of UTIs and antibiotic resistance frequency associated with GBS. Given the paucity of research on antibiotic resistance of GBS in Iran, the present study investigated the UTIs associated with GBS and the antibiotic susceptibility patterns associated with GBS.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This study included 65 GBS strains collected from urine samples obtained from the Bouali Laboratory Complex, one of the largest laboratories in western Iran. VITEK 2 GP ID cards were used to identify all GBS isolates. VITEK 2 susceptibility testing for Gram-positive bacteria was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions using the AST-ST card. MIC method was performed after the detection of GBS strains.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that 53 (81.5%) of the GBS isolates showed resistance to tetracycline; 47 (72.3%), 40 (61.5%), and 30 (46.15%) of these had a resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin and ampicillin respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the present study, the VITEK 2 system was validated as a user-friendly system that can serve as a rapid and accurate tool for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of GBS.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"239-245"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143970828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design of ELISA-based diagnostic system for detection of enterohaemorrhagic <i>Escherichia coli</i>.","authors":"Mohammad Javad Rezaei, Maryam Eidi, Seyed Ali Mirhosseini, Rouhollah Kazemi, Mohammad Javad Motamedi, Soghra Khani, Jafar Amani","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong><i>Escherichia coli (E. coli)</i> O157:H7 is an intestinal pathogen of humans and animals, which causes serious gastrointestinal, urinary tract infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Connecting to the host cell is important in pathogenesis. EspA, Intimin and Tir proteins (EIT) are the most important bacterial features in the process of binding. These antigens can be very useful in detecting these bacteria. The aim of this study was to produce recombinant EspA, Intimin and Tir proteins (rEIT) to detect pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 by means of ELISA method.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The <i>eit</i> recombinant gene was expressed using IPTG in <i>E. coli</i> BL21 (DE3) and evaluated by western blotting. The purified rEIT protein was injected to rabbits and mice subcutaneously. Purified antibody was evaluated using indirect, competitive and sandwich ELISA confirming the precise detection of <i>E. coli</i> O157: H7.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Indirect, competitive and sandwich ELISA specifically detected <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 and each methods had the ability to identify more than 10⁴, 10⁴, 10³ bacteria. The specificity of this method was evaluated by Entroheamoragic <i>E. coli</i>, enterotoxygenic <i>E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio cholera</i> and <i>Acinetobacter</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These methods are the fastest, most accurate and cost effective methods for diagnosis of <i>E. coli</i> O157: H7, comparing to the conventional methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"278-286"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of carbapenemase-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> clinical isolates in Thi-Qar, Iraq.","authors":"Moslim Mohsin Khalaf, Firas Srhan Abd Al-Mayahi","doi":"10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i2.18387","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The emergence of carbapenem resistance in <i>Escherichia coli (E. coli)</i> poses an urgent threat. The study aims to assess carbapenem resistance and the presence of carbapenemase genes in <i>E. coli</i> clinical isolates from Thi-Qar Hospital, Iraq.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A total of 2203 specimens were collected from patients at two hospitals between January and October 2024. <i>E. coli</i> was identified via biochemical tests and confirmed with the Vitek2® system. Antibiotic sensitivity was evaluated using disc diffusion, and carbapenemase production was investigated through combined disc tests (CDT) and modified Hodge tests (MHT). PCR was used to detect carbapenemase genes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 2203 specimens, 1212 (55.02%) exhibited bacterial growth, with <i>E. coli</i> accounting for 15.35% (186/1212) of isolates. Among these, 40 (21.51%) were resistant to at least one carbapenem. CDT identified 10, and MHT identified 1 as a carbapenemase producer. The most detected gene was <i>bla</i> _NDM (60.00%), followed by <i>bla</i> _OXA (40.00%) and <i>bla</i> _OXA-48 (15.00%). <i>bla</i> _OXA-51 and <i>bla</i> _VIM were found in 5.00% of isolates each. No <i>bla</i> _KPC, <i>bla</i> _NMC, <i>bla</i> _IMI, <i>bla</i> _GES, <i>bla</i> _SPM, <i>bla</i> _GIM, or <i>bla</i> _SIM was detected.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The high prevalence of carbapenem resistance and the corresponding encoding genes in <i>E. coli</i> in Thi-Qar province pose a concerning challenge for managing serious infections caused by this pathogen.</p>","PeriodicalId":14633,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Microbiology","volume":"17 2","pages":"268-277"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053425/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144002403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}