Molecular Surveillance of ESBL and Carbapenemase Genes in Gram-Negative Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from Various Clinical Samples Collected from Northern Region of United Arab Emirates

The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of ESBL and carbapenemase genes in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from various clinical samples collected from northern regions of UAE. In total 3670 clinical samples were obtained from patients attending various hospitals and clinics in the northern regions of the UAE. All the samples underwent routine bacterial culture examination, and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns mainly on beta-lactam and carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. Molecular detection of ESBL and carbapenemase genes (<i>bla_CTX-M</i>, <i>bla_TEM</i>, <i>bla_SHV</i>, <i>bla_NDM</i>, <i>bla_IMP</i>, and <i>bla_OXA-48</i>) was performed on them. A total of 249 MDR Gram-negative bacteria (<i>E. coli</i>, <i>K. pneumoniae</i>, <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, <i>P. mirabilis</i> and <i>A. baumannii</i>) were isolated. The genes <i>bla_CTX-M</i>, <i>bla_TEM</i>, and <i>bla_SHV</i> were detected in all the MDR isolates. Among them, the <i>bla_CTX-M</i> was predominant especially in <i>E. coli</i>. The <i>bla_NDM</i> and <i>bla_IMP</i> were detected in a few <i>K. pneumoniae</i> and <i>A. baumannii</i>. The genes combination <i>bla_CTX-M+TEM</i> and <i>bla_CTX-M+SHV</i>, <i>bla_CTX-M+SHV</i>, <i>bla_TEM+SHV</i>, and <i>bla_TEM+NDM</i> were detected mostly in <i>K. pneumoniae</i> and <i>E. coli</i>, and few <i>A. baumannii</i>. The gene combination <i>bla_{CTX-M+TEM+SHV}</i> and <i>bla_{CTX-M+TEM+SHV+IMP}</i> were also detected in few <i>E. coli</i>, <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, and <i>A. baumannii</i>. The current findings highlight the importance of molecular detection of ESBL and carbapenemase genes to emphasize monitoring and controlling the development of MDR bacterial pathogens.