Detection of Virulence Genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from  Urinary Catheterised Patients

Huda Saleh khuder; Shaimaa Saleh Khudhur

Huda Saleh khuder Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Tikrit University, Iraq
Shaimaa Saleh Khudhur Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Tikrit University, Iraq

Abstract

Background: One of the most predominant health-related illnesses

universally is catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). CAU-
TIs constitute over 50% of all hospital-acquired infections. Majority of

the healthcare-acquired urinary tract infections result from catheter
tubes implantation.
Objective: To reveal the existence and frequency of the fimH, Ycfm,
clfA, and Cap5 genes in two species isolated from patients with urinary
catheters.
Methods: During the period from November 2023 to February 2024,

a total of 50 samples of urine were collected from patients with uri-
nary catheters at Tikrit Teaching Hospital and private clinics in Salah

Al-Deen province, Iraq. Different antibiotics were used to examine the
antibiotics sensitivity test for bacterial isolates.
Results: Among the participants, 30 (60%) were female and 20 (40%)
were male, with ages ranging between 18 to 80 years and a mean age

of 42.06± 14.6 years. Sensitivity for isolates of S. aureus to antibiot-
ics was 100% for amoxicillin, 66.6% for trimethoprim, and 44.4% for

gentamicin and nitrofurantoin. 11.1% of isolates showed resistance
to ciprofloxacin. Among the K. pneumoniae isolates, 66.6 % exhibited

resistance to amoxicillin and trimethoprim, while 11.1% showed resis-
tance to ciprofloxacin. Molecular analysis was done for 2 isolates of S.

aureus and 2 isolates of K. pneumoniae based on their high resistance
to antibiotics. The results revealed that the clfA gene was found in
100% of S.aureus isolates, while the Cap5 gene was found in 50% of
S.aureus isolates. Also, the result unveiled that 100% of K. pneumoniae
isolates produced FimH-1 and Ycfm genes.
Conclusion: S. aureus and K. pneumoniae are common causes of urinary
tract infections in patients with urinary catheters. Virulence genes have
an important role in the pathogenicity of S. aureus and K.pneumoniae
in patients with urinary catheters.

How to cite this article:
Khuder H S, Khudhur S S. Detection of
Virulence Genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae
and Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from
Urinary Catheterised Patients. J Commun Dis.
2025;57(1):222-230.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202529

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