Evaluation of Biofilm Formation Among Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolates and Molecular Characterization by Eric-Pcr Publisher



Seifi K¹ ; Kazemian H² ; Heidari H³ ; Rezagholizadeh F² ; Saee Y⁴ ; Shirvani F¹ ; Houri H⁵
Source: Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology Published:2016

Abstract

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is among the most frequently recovered etiologic agents from nosocomial infections. This opportunistic pathogen can generate a thick layer of biofilm as one of its important virulence factors enabling the bacteria to attach to living or abiotic surfaces which contributes to drug resistance. Objectives: The resistance of biofilm-mediated infections to effective chemotherapy has adverse effects on patient outcomes and survival. Therefore the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biofilm-formation capacity of clinical K. pneumoniae isolates and to perform a molecular characterization using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) to determine the dominant biofilm-producing genotype. Patients and Methods: In the present study 94 K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from two hospitals in Tehran Iran. Biofilm formation was assayed by a modified procedure then ERIC-PCR was carried out. Results: The distributions of the clinical specimens used in this study were 61.7% from urine 18.1% from wounds 11.7% from sputum and 8.5% from blood. Among these isolates 33% formed fully established biofilms 52.1% were categorized as moderately biofilm-producing 8.5% formed weak biofilms and 6.4% were non-biofilm-producers. Genotyping of K. pneumoniae revealed 31 different ERIC types. Biofilm-formation ability in a special ERIC type was not observed. Conclusions: Our results indicated that an enormous proportion of K. pneumoniae isolated from sputum and surgical-wound swabs produced fully established biofilms. It is reasonable to assume the existence of a relationship between the site of infection and the formation of biofilm. A high level of genetic diversity among the K. pneumoniae strains was observed. © 2016 Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences.