Phenotypic and Genotypic Detection of PER β-Lactamase among Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Hilla Hospitals.

This study investigates the prevalence of blaPER gene in clinical isolates ofKlebsiella pneumoniae. During the period from April to August 2011, a total of 801various clinical samples were collected from different hospitals in Hilla city. Ofthese,117 isolates were specified as K.pneumoniae . High prevalence ofK.pneumoniae isolates were detected in stool samples 38 (27%) followed by sputum19 (15%). All 117 K.pneumoniae isolates were primarily screened for - lactamsresistance, 91 (78%) were found to be screen positive. β- lactam resistance isolateswere underwent antimicrobial susceptibility to 26 antibiotics by Kirby-Bauer diskdiffusion methods .High resistance rate was recorded for penicillins (carbenicillin andampicillin) with rates of resistance of (99%) and (94.5%),respectively .Carbapenemresistance was reported in 17 (18.7%) of K. pneumoniae isolates. Phenotypicdetection of extended spectrum β- lactamase by CHROMagar technique identified aproportion of 17(100%) as ESBL producers. The presence of blaPER gene waschecked by Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed in 10 (82.3%) ofisolates.