Abstract :
Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the opportunistic species that is present in the hospital environment and causes many hospital-acquired infections such as wound infections, burns infections and UTI.This study aims to detect the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital environments and testing the ability of obtained strains to produce biofilms as well as evaluating oprL gene as specific molecular marker to identify Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Materials and Methods: (100 clinical and 100 environmental) samples were collected from Al-Diwaniyah Hospital and Burn Hospital in Diwaniyah. Samples were cultured and isolates then identified using biochemical tests, VITEK2-automated system, and molecular detection of oprL gene. The method of Tissue Culture Plate was used for detection of biofilm formation.Results: The results showed that 25 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were obtained; 13 of them were clinical isolates and 12 environmental isolates. The ability of bacteria to produce biofilms was also measured, as (23) (92%) isolates capable of producing biofilms were obtained, distributed among (8) (32%) weak, (12) (48%) moderate, and (3)(12%) strong, and only two isolates were unable to produce biofilms. We also found that the oprL gene was identified in 25 (100%) out of the 25 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Conclusion: The environment can be a source for certain bacterial pathogens associated with nosocomial infections, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can be identified rapidly by oprL gene as a specific molecular marker alternative to traditional methods.
Keyword :
EDTA, Biocides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clinical samples, Environmental samples, MIC, MBC