Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis

Background: Proteus mirabilis can be distributed in water, soil, and the human digestive tract. It is considered among the leading causes of urinary tract infections and can also cause bacteremia, as well as wound and respiratory infections. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance pr...

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Main Authors: Marwa Shaker Mahmood, Mustafa S. AL-Salmani, Shahad Basil Ismael, Ahmed Sami AL-Salmany, Aws Akram Jumaah, Hasan A. Aal Owaif
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Medical Research and Development Corporation 2025-06-01
Series:International Journal of Biomedicine
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Online Access:http://www.ijbm.org/articles/i58/ijbm_15(2)_oa22.pdf
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author Marwa Shaker Mahmood
Mustafa S. AL-Salmani
Shahad Basil Ismael
Ahmed Sami AL-Salmany
Aws Akram Jumaah
Hasan A. Aal Owaif
author_facet Marwa Shaker Mahmood
Mustafa S. AL-Salmani
Shahad Basil Ismael
Ahmed Sami AL-Salmany
Aws Akram Jumaah
Hasan A. Aal Owaif
author_sort Marwa Shaker Mahmood
collection DOAJ
description Background: Proteus mirabilis can be distributed in water, soil, and the human digestive tract. It is considered among the leading causes of urinary tract infections and can also cause bacteremia, as well as wound and respiratory infections. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and the number of virulence genes in local P. mirabilis isolates from various clinical samples. Methods and Results: Between May 2024 and August 2024, a total of 250 samples were collected from various clinical sources, including wound swabs, sputum, urine, and pus, at different hospitals in Baghdad. To identify P. mirabilis isolates, biochemical tests and the VITEK 2 system were used. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion technique. The zapA, ureC, mrpA, and rsbA genes were detected by PCR. Seventy-three (29.2%) isolates out of 250 samples from different sources were identified as P. mirabilis. The results indicated that 73.6%, 29.3%, 6.2%, and 17.6% of pus, wound, sputum, and urine samples, respectively, were P. mirabilis. Of the isolates, 95.9% were resistant to nitrofurantoin, 75.3% to aztreonam, 91.8% to ampicillin, 67.1% to levofloxacin, 58.9% to ceftazidime, 52.1% to piperacillin, 27.4% to ciprofloxacin,11.0% to imipenem, and 9.6% to amikacin. The rate of zapA, ureC, mrpA, and rsbA genes was 75.3%, 91.7%, 52.1%, and 79.4%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that P. mirabilis is commonly found in sputum, urine, wounds, and pus samples, and that infections are more prevalent in men. It exhibits significant levels of antibiotic resistance, especially to nitrofurantoin (95.9%). The need for efficient infection control and antimicrobial stewardship to address multidrug-resistant P. mirabilis infections is highlighted by the rising antibiotic resistance, which has been linked to changes in bacterial enzymes and antibiotic misuse.
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series International Journal of Biomedicine
spelling doaj-art-b23b213d629841c59d85a327cae2d3312025-08-20T03:25:03ZengInternational Medical Research and Development CorporationInternational Journal of Biomedicine2158-05102158-05292025-06-0115240040310.21103/Article15(2)_OA22Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis Marwa Shaker Mahmood0Mustafa S. AL-Salmani1Shahad Basil Ismael2Ahmed Sami AL-Salmany3Aws Akram Jumaah4Hasan A. Aal Owaif5Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq Department of Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq Department of Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq Department of Animal Production, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, IraqDepartment of Plant Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, IraqBackground: Proteus mirabilis can be distributed in water, soil, and the human digestive tract. It is considered among the leading causes of urinary tract infections and can also cause bacteremia, as well as wound and respiratory infections. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and the number of virulence genes in local P. mirabilis isolates from various clinical samples. Methods and Results: Between May 2024 and August 2024, a total of 250 samples were collected from various clinical sources, including wound swabs, sputum, urine, and pus, at different hospitals in Baghdad. To identify P. mirabilis isolates, biochemical tests and the VITEK 2 system were used. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion technique. The zapA, ureC, mrpA, and rsbA genes were detected by PCR. Seventy-three (29.2%) isolates out of 250 samples from different sources were identified as P. mirabilis. The results indicated that 73.6%, 29.3%, 6.2%, and 17.6% of pus, wound, sputum, and urine samples, respectively, were P. mirabilis. Of the isolates, 95.9% were resistant to nitrofurantoin, 75.3% to aztreonam, 91.8% to ampicillin, 67.1% to levofloxacin, 58.9% to ceftazidime, 52.1% to piperacillin, 27.4% to ciprofloxacin,11.0% to imipenem, and 9.6% to amikacin. The rate of zapA, ureC, mrpA, and rsbA genes was 75.3%, 91.7%, 52.1%, and 79.4%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that P. mirabilis is commonly found in sputum, urine, wounds, and pus samples, and that infections are more prevalent in men. It exhibits significant levels of antibiotic resistance, especially to nitrofurantoin (95.9%). The need for efficient infection control and antimicrobial stewardship to address multidrug-resistant P. mirabilis infections is highlighted by the rising antibiotic resistance, which has been linked to changes in bacterial enzymes and antibiotic misuse.http://www.ijbm.org/articles/i58/ijbm_15(2)_oa22.pdfproteus mirabilisantibiotic resistancevirulence genes
spellingShingle Marwa Shaker Mahmood
Mustafa S. AL-Salmani
Shahad Basil Ismael
Ahmed Sami AL-Salmany
Aws Akram Jumaah
Hasan A. Aal Owaif
Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
International Journal of Biomedicine
proteus mirabilis
antibiotic resistance
virulence genes
title Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
title_full Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
title_fullStr Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
title_short Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis
title_sort prevalence of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of proteus mirabilis
topic proteus mirabilis
antibiotic resistance
virulence genes
url http://www.ijbm.org/articles/i58/ijbm_15(2)_oa22.pdf
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