Abstract

MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION OF ACHROMOBACTER XYLOSOXIDANS ISOLATED FROM CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS IN AL–DIWANIYA CITY

Aamal Ghazi Mahdi Al-Saadi*

Abstract

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an emerging human pathogen that has been increasingly recovered from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This is the first report to investigate the prevalence of A. xylosoxidans in CF patients in Iraq, particularly in Al- Diwaniya city. In order to evaluate the frequency of this pathogen, 270 sputum samples were collected from patients suffering from CF attending Al-Diwaniya teaching hospital during the period January 2015 to January 2016. A total of 12 isolates (5.42%) of A. xylosoxidans were recovered from the sputum specimens and identified based on biochemical tests and confirmed using Vitek2 Compact system. Isolates were further verified using 16Sr DNA gene based analysis and DNA sequencing. The activity of antimicrobial agents against the isolated and identified A. xylosoxidans isolates was determined using standard disk-diffusion and broth dilution methods. The isolates of A. xylosoxidans were (100%) resistant to Cephalothin and Nitrofurantoin, (91.66 %) to Ampicillin and Kanamycin, (83.33%) to Tobramycin and Tetracycline, and Meropenem, (75 %) to Chloramphenicol, (66.66%) to Imipenem, and (40.66%) to Gentamicin. Isolates showed (100%) susceptibility to Pipracillin and (83.33%) to Ciprofloxacin and PolymyxinB. Findings of this study can help to understand the epidemiology and clinical implications of A. xylosoxidans and to improve clinical management attempts in CF patients.

Keywords: Cystic fibrosis, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, prevalence, antibioticresistance.