Antimicrobial resistance and carbapenemase patterns and OmpA alleles in various bacterial isolates from burn infection in the Province of Dhi-Qar, Iraq

Background: Bacteria's remarkable resistance to antibiotics is caused by carbapenem resistance genes, which presented a significant obstacle to medication. Aim: This study aims to determine the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant genes and their genetic variations (alleles) in each type of carbapenem gene for various bacterial isolates. Methods: Using swabs from hospital burn patients, the doctors isolated 57 bacteria from 152 individuals. The bacterial species were identified using standard microbiological techniques, followed by antibiotic susceptibility tests and 16S rDNA sequencing. All isolates have their carbapenem genes molecularly detected using PCR. Results: Bacteria classified as Gram-negative (89.4%) versus Gram-positive (10.5%), comprising 13 distinct species found using 16S rRNA sequencing. FEP, DOR, CIP, CRO, and AMC were all 100% resistant in 57 bacterial isolates. The MEM, ATM, and AK (98%) and IMP (96%) were analyzed both genotypically and phenotypically for carbapenem resistance and OmpA genes. Of the 57 isolates, blaOXA-48 47 (82.45%), blaNDM-1 46 (80%), blaVIM 8 (14%) and blaKPC 1 (1.75%) were found; however, no bacterium exhibited the blaIMP gene. They showed up for 33 (57%) of OmpA. As bacterium isolated, the blaOXA-48, blaNDM-1, and OmpA genes were more prevalent. At bacterium isolated, it exhibited resistance to the carbapenems DOR, IMP, and MEM, the frequency of the blaOXA-48 gene was higher (80.70%, 83.63%, and 82.14%, respectively), but the frequency of the OmpA gene was (57.89%, 60%, and 58.92%, respectively).The blaNDM-1 gene displayed four distinct alleles in several bacterial species, whereas the sequence of blaOXA-48 and OmpA. Conclusion: The presence of the OmpA gene alongside the carbapenem genes is one of the primary causes of the bacterial isolates' resistance to carbapenem antibiotics.