The distribution of virulence genes and their correlation with antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Ramadi city, Iraq

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes significant infections in neonate patients ranging from urinary tract infections to severe life-threatening meningitis. The severity of resulted diseases belongs to the virulence factors utilized by the bacteria to perform its infections and/or the bacterial antibiotic resistance due to abuse of antibiotic dosages. Aims: The aim of the study is to investigate the correlation between the Klebsiella pneumonia virulence genes, particularly rmpA gene, aerobactin gene, and colibactin gene, and the bacterial isolates' antibiotic resistance patterns. Methods: the study included 25 strains of K Pneumonaie, each isolate is subjected to string test, antibiotic susceptibility by VITEK2 system , three convential PCR tests to detect the distribution of three important Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence genes among these strains isolated from neonate patients. Results: The results showed a significant correlation between the presence of the virulence gene rmpA and the bacterial isolates’ antibiotic resistance ability, while a negative relationship was defined between the aerobactin and colibactin genes, the antibiotic resistance pattern of the bacterial isolates.Conclusion: There was a correlation between the presence of some important virulence genes and the ability of bacteria to resist antibiotic drugs.