Student Noor Ahmed Yassin from the Microbiology Department defended her thesis entitled: "Detection of bla OXA-48 and bla IMP resistance genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolated from children with urinary tract infections." The aim of the thesis was to identify the bla OXA-48 and bla IMP resistance genes and confirm the occurrence of MDR and XDR E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in children with urinary tract infections. Methods: A total of one hundred and fifteen urine samples from children with urinary tract infections were examined. The isolates were tested for antibiotic sensitivity, ESBL phenotype detection, and identification of bla OXA-48 and bla IMP genes using molecular techniques and gene sequencing. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS program. Results: The most prevalent isolates, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, exhibited high rates of resistance to commonly used antibiotics. MDR was found in 61.5% of E. coli and 62.9% of K. pneumoniae, with high proportions of XDR isolates. Furthermore, 92.3% of E. coli isolates and 100% of K. pneumoniae isolates carried the bla OXA-48 gene, while 43.1% of E. coli isolates and 25.7% of K. pneumoniae isolates carried the bla IMP gene. The amplified blaIMP-1 sequences of K. pneumoniae and E. coli revealed no variation in the DNA among the analyzed samples. However, alignment results of amplified bla OXA samples with K. pneumoniae and E. coli indicated two different DNA types corresponding to the reference DNA sequence of K. pneumoniae and E. coli, respectively. Conclusion: The research demonstrates significant presence of bla OXA-48 and bla IMP genes in both Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. These genes are often associated with other resistance genes, such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and integrons, leading to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) patterns. These findings highlight the need to enhance antibiotic surveillance and monitoring programs to halt the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in children with urinary tract infections. Dr. Shatha Hussein Ali, a faculty member in the Pediatrics Department, participated in the examination committee of Master's student Noor Ahmed Yassin from the Microbiology Department, College of Medicine - University of the Tigris. The defense took place on Monday, May 13, 2024. The thesis was supervised by Professor Quds Wamid. The scientific discussion with the committee members and the student took place in the Microbiology Department's hall at the college, starting at 9:00 AM. The committee's decision was to grant the student a pass with distinction. 
|
