ABSTRACT

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a type of opportunistic bacteria, which may infect almost all tissues, immunocompromised people, and cause hospital-acquired illnesses as well.  It has a variety of virulence variables that might attribute to its pathogenesis. The toxA (exotoxin A), lasA (protease) and lasB (elastase) genes are among these virulence variants.

Methods: In present study, 115 clinical samples were collected from patients. Conventional morphological and biochemical assays were used to identify the isolates of P. aeruginosa. PCR technique was performed for detection of lasA, lasB, and toxA genes in clinical specimens of P. aeruginosa.

Results: Of all the samples, P. aeruginosa isolates were identified in 25 clinical samples and their distribution was as follows: 8 (40%) wounds, 5 (7.14%) urine, 3 (100%) blood, 3 (37.5%) sputum, 2 (28.57%) CSF, 2 (50%) pus, and 2 (66.7%) renal abscess. Results of molecular analysis indicated the presence of virulence genes lasA, lasB, toxA in 14 (56%) of P. aeruginosa isolates while both lasA and lasB genes were detected in 15 (60%) isolates. While 16 (64%) of isolates harbored lasB and toxA genes. All these virulence genes were mostly found in pus, sputum, blood, and wound samples.