Molecular evaluation of drug resistance in clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi from Pakistan

Authors

  • Amna Afzal National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Yasra Sarwar National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Aamir Ali National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Abbas Maqbool University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
  • Muhammad Salman National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Asif Habeeb National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Abdul Haque Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering,Faisalabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.3154

Keywords:

Salmonella Typhi, multidrug resistance, fluoroquinolone resistance

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the drug susceptibility patterns and genetic elements related to drug resistance in isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) from the Faisalabad region of Pakistan.

Methodology: The drug resistance status of 80 isolates were evaluated by determining antimicrobial susceptibility, MICs, drug resistance genes involved, and the presence of integrons. Nalidixic acid resistance and reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin were also investigated by mutation screening of the gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE genes.

Results: Forty-seven (58.7%) isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR). Among the different resistance (R) types, the most commonly observed (13/80) was AmChStrTeSxtSmzTmp, which is the most frequent type observed in India and Pakistan. The most common drug resistant genes were blaTEM-1, cat, strA-strB, tetB, sul1, sul2, and dfrA7. Among the detected genes, only dfrA7 was found to be associated in the form of a single gene cassette within the class 1 integrons.

Conclusions: MIC determination of currently used drugs revealed fourth-generation gatifloxacin as an effective drug against multidrug-resistant S. Typhi, but its clinical use is controversial. The Ser83→Phe substitution in gyrA was the predominant alteration in nalidixic acid-resistant isolates, exhibiting reduced susceptibility and increased MICs against ciprofloxacin. No mutations in gyrB, parC, or parE were detected in any isolate.

Author Biographies

Amna Afzal, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

PhD scholar, Health Biotechnology Division

Yasra Sarwar, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Senior Scientist, Health Biotechnology Division

Aamir Ali, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Junior Scientist, Health Biotechnology Division

Abbas Maqbool, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom

Researcher, Department of Biology (Area 10)

Muhammad Salman, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

PhD scholar, Health Biotechnology Division

Muhammad Asif Habeeb, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

PhD scholar, Health Biotechnology Division

Abdul Haque, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering,Faisalabad, Pakistan

Dr. Abdul Haque, Ph. D.,

(Adjunct Professor, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad

and PIEAS University, Islamabad)
Group Leader,
Enteric Diseases Research Group, Principal Scientist,
Health Biotechnology Division,
National Institute for Biotechnology &
Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box, 577, Jhang Road,

Faisalabad, Pakistan 

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Published

2013-12-15

How to Cite

1.
Afzal A, Sarwar Y, Ali A, Maqbool A, Salman M, Habeeb MA, Haque A (2013) Molecular evaluation of drug resistance in clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi from Pakistan. J Infect Dev Ctries 7:929–940. doi: 10.3855/jidc.3154

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Section

Original Articles