Abstract

BACKGROUND Multidrug resistance among ESBL producing isolates has limited the administration of proper antibiotics. It is therefore important to monitor the resistance patterns of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and provide infection control strategies to prevent nosocomial outbreaks. This study was aimed to determine antimicrobial resistance patterns of K. pneumoniae isolates obtained from wound infections of patients in Tehran, Iran. METHODS Totally, 102 K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from wound infections of patients in Tehran, Iran. Phenotypic ESBL and carbapenemase production was assessed using double-disc synergy test (DDST) and modified Hodge test (MHT), respectively. PCR was performed for the detection of ESBL, carbapenemase, quinolone and aminoglycoside resistance genes. RESULTS Forty-six (45.1%) and 23 (22.5%) isolates, out of the 102 isolates, were phenotypically detected as ESBL and carbapenemase producers, respectively. The PCR results showed that 80/102 (78.4%) and 51/102 (50%) isolates possessed at least one of the assessed ESBL and carbapenemase genes, respectively. Quinolone resistance determinants (QRDs) and aac(6')-Ib genes were found amongst 50 (49%) and 67 (65.7%) isolates, respectively. Four isolates carried the blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, qnrB, qnrS and aac(6')-Ib genes, simultaneously. CONCLUSION Because of the presence of multiple resistance genes among some K. pneumoniae strains, antibiotic agents should be used with caution to preserve their efficacy in case of life-threatening infections.