Investigation of KPC Genes by PCR and Evaluation of Carbapenem Inactivation Method in Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates

Abstract

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the important human pathogen and causes serious infections. Carbapenems are drug of choice in infections that caused by P. aeruginosa but carbapenem resistance is an emerging problem. In this study we aimed to to investigate the presence of KPC gene, one of the carbapenemase enzymes that cause carbapenem resistance, and carbapenem inactivation method (CIM) of study isolates, in P. aeruginosa isolates which were included in the study. Materials and Methods: DNA extraction of carbapenem resistant isolates was performed by boiling method. After DNA extraction, optimization was performed using the original primers. After optimization, KPC gene was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In addition, carbapenemase production of isolates was determined by the CIM a phenotypic test. Results: The isolates were identified mostly from the tracheal aspirate cultures (34.5%). The greatest proportion of P. aeruginosa specimens were isolated from internal medicine (36%). KPC gene was not detected in none of the P. aeruginosa isolates by PCR method. According to the results of CIM, 22 were detected positive and 178 were negative. Conclusions: KPC is one of the carbapenamases, but we did not detect in our study and it is not prevelant in P. aeruginosa isolates. It is needed to determine the presence and distribution of carbapenemase genes in healthcare facilities to determine effective infection control measures.