Antimicrobial susceptibility profile, biofilm formation and detection of fimH virulence gene in urop
Anjali Maharjan 1 , Santosh Khanal 1 , Laxmi Sharma 2 , Sanjay Kumar Thakur 3 . Anil Kumar Sah 2
1 Department of Microbiology, National College, Khusibun, Kathmandu
2 Annapurna Research Center, Maitighar, Kathmandu
3 Annapurna Neurological Institute and Allied Sciences, Maitighar, Kathmandu
Corresponding author: anilshah4in@gmail.com
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are considered to be the most common bacterial infections in humans. The chronicity of UTI increases by biofilm formation and is related with multidrug
resistance of uropathogens. One of the virulence factors involved in biofilm formation is type 1 fimbriae, fimH gene being its major determinant. The study was performed to detect biofilm formation and fimH virulence gene in uropathogens from clinical samples. A total of 200 urine samples were collected from patients suspected of UTI. All the specimens were subjected to culture on MacConkey agar and Blood agar. The isolates were identified using biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility test was performed. Likewise, the isolates were screened for biofilm formation using Congo red agar (CRA) method and fimH virulence gene was detected by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of 74 isolated strains, 52 (70.3%) were MDR strains. Among them, 30 (57.7%) showed biofilm formation and were furthermore classified as strongly positive (8, 27%), moderately positive (14, 46%) and weakly positive (8, 27%). Similarly, fimH gene was found in 48 isolated strains out of which 34 (70.8%) were MDR strains, E. coli (15, 44%), Citrobacter spp (12, 35%), Klebsiella spp (6, 17.6%) and Enterobacter spp (1, 2.9%). The results of the study indicate high prevalence of fimH gene in uropathogens thus, fimH gene could be used as a possible diagnostic tool for biofilm forming uropathogens.
Keywords: Urinary tract infections, MDR, CRA, fimH