Molecular Detection of ZapA Gene and Multidrugs Resistance Among Proteus Mirabilis Isolated From Different Clinical Samples in Al-Najaf Province

Abstract

Background: Proteus mirabilis is seen as a major causative agent both in the community and hospital-acquired infections. P. mirabilis expresses factors involved in both cell-associated and extracellular pathogenesis. Among the factors expressed are virulence factors, which in infected hosts can cause pathogenicity, such as lipopolysaccharides, iron-sensitivity protease, urease haemolysin systems, and swarming fimbriae. Methods: the strain was isolated from clinical materials collected from patients of major hospitals in Al-Najaf province. Conventional identification by microscopic morphology, colony characteristics on both selective and deferential culture media, and biochemical reactions found only 20 of the 140 clinical samples to be positive for P. mirabilis. Results: The distribution of these 20 samples gave positive growth of P. mirabilis. They were gender-wise distributed among 13 (65%) females and 7 (35%) males. This study included the phenotyping of swimming and swarming motilities as well as blood hemolysis and protease enzymes. Results showed that the isolates hemolyze the blood and produce 90% of the isolates produces protease. Conclusion: This study's results show that every single clinical isolate of P. mirabilis is capable of producing a robust biofilm. The disk diffusion antibiotic sensitivity test of the isolates for commonly used antibiotics against P. mirabilis revealed a wide range of resistance rates. The highest percentage of resistance was observed in Nitrofurans (Nitrofurantoin) at 100%, Macrolides (Azithromycin) and Tetracyclines (Tetracycline and Doxycycline) (90%), Ciprofloxacin (85%), and Amoxicillin (80%). The least percentage of resistance was observed in Levofloxacin (35%), and Aminoglycosides (Gentamicin) (15%).