Detection of bla-AIM Metallo Beta Lactamase Gene among Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia and Carbapenem Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolated from Various Infections in AL- Najaf Province

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a "rapidly evolving pathogen of concern" that is increasingly being identified. The World Health Organization also recognizes it as one of the hospitals' most significant multi-drugresistant pathogens. Also, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes most healthcare-associated infections, and it is considered a paradigm of antibiotic resistance development. In many hospitals across the globe, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has emerged as a significant source of infection. The present study aimed to study the isolation and diagnosis of S. maltophilia and P. aeruginosa from different clinical samples, evaluate the occurrence of carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples, and investigate the dissemination of the bla-AIM genes between these isolates. Eight hundred fifty specimens were collected from various clinical samples between 2022 and 2023. The specimens included 220 swabs (burn), 200 (urine), 140 (stool), and 130(wound). 90 (ear),50 (throat), 10 (Cerebrospinal fluid), and 10 (blood). Represented by 680 specimens contained bacterial growth, and 170 specimens had no bacterial growth. Out of the 680 bacterial growth isolates, 410 revealed growths of Gram-negative bacteria, and 270 were Gram-positive bacteria. On MacConkey ag, ar 180/410 bacteria were lactose ferment; other isolates, es 230/410 of the isolates were lactose non-fermented bacteria. In a cross-sectional manner, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates during this period were isolated and identified depending on the primary methods of diagnosis, then the use of the VITEK-2 compact system. The results showed 42 isolates of S. maltophilia and 80 isolates of P. aeruginosa from total Gram-negative bacteria. The results show that only five isolates contained the AIM gene, with a percentage of (10.4 %) of the 48 Carbapenem Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, five isolates from 42 S. maltophilia contain the AIM gene with a percentage (11.9%), based on the Polymerase chain reactions assay. Keywords: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Carbapenem Resistance, Pseudomonas aerginosa.