Year: 2026 | Month: February | Volume: 16 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 28-33
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260205
Identification of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Genes among Clinical Isolates of Klebsiella species in a Tertiary Care Center at South Karnataka
Jitendra Chandra Devrari1, Vinita Rawat2
1Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, VCSGGIMS&R Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand
2Professor & Head, Department of Microbiology, VCSGGIMS&R Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Corresponding Author: Dr. Jitendra Chandra Devrari
ABSTRACT
Introduction: fluoroquinolone resistance is widespread in many Gram-negative bacteria which produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs), including Klebsiella pneumoniae. This study aims to perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing and to investigate the presence of the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes in clinical isolates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Klebsiella isolates.
Materials and Methods: A total of 201 Klebsiella species isolated from various non-repeated clinical samples were collected from Yenepoya Medical College Hospital and identified by biochemical method. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed for fluoroquinolone (FQ) drugs and ESBL detection was done by combined disc diffusion method according to the CLSI guidelines. The isolates were screened for the PMQR genes i.e. qnrA, qepA, aac(6’)Ib-cr, and oqxA&B by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results: Out of 201 ESBL positive Klebsiella isolates, 153 were ESBL positive with fluoroquinolone resistance confirmed by PCR. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern showed that most strains were multi drug resistant. Out of 153 fluoroquinolones resistant Klebsiella isolates, MIC of 142 isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolone drug, whereas 11 isolates had MIC for levofloxacin below 12 µg/ml. Among 142 FQ-resistant strains: PMQR genes i.e., qnrA was present in 60 (42.3%), followed by aac(6’)Ib-cr 137 (96.5%), qepA 05 (3.5%), oqxA 120 (84.5%) and oqx B 130 (91.6%) isolates.
Conclusion: The resistant profile was found to be quite high to ESBL production with FQ resistance in Klebsiella isolates infection, which is emerging because of an improper antibiogram schedule. This study highlights the increasing incidence of aac(6’)Ib-cr and oqxA & B among ESBL-producing Klebsiella isolates.
Key words: PMQR, ESBL, Klebsiella pneumoniae, PCR