Identification of beta-lactamase genes (KPC, NDM,IMP, VIM, and OXA-48) in Acinetobacter baumanniibacteria isolated from various clinical samples inSana’a City, Yemen

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in hospital settings, where its ability to rapidly acquire resistance to multiple classes of antimicrobial agents. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of carbapenemase-encoding genes among CRAB isolates in Sana’a, Yemen.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2023 and December 2024. A total of 74 nonduplicate CRAB isolates were collected from various clinical specimens at two private hospitals and the National Center of Public Health Laboratories in Sana’a. Real-time PCR was utilized to detect five major carbapenemase genes (blaOXA-48, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaKPC, and blaIMP).Results: Among the 74 isolates, 68 (91.9%) were positive for at least one carbapenemase-encoding gene. The most predominant gene was blaOXA-48 (89.1%), followed by blaNDM (29.7%) and blaVIM (18.9%). Notably, neither the blaKPC nor the blaIMP genes were detected.Conclusion: The study shows a high prevalence of carbapenemase-encoding genes among A. baumannii in Sana’a, blaOXA-48 serving as the primary genetic driver of resistance to carbapenems.