Molecular characterization and diversity of carbapenemases in Gram-negative bacteria in Libyan hospitals

Authors

  • Khouloud Slimene Université Aix-Marseille, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, France
  • Salem K Almahjoub Department of Epidemiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
  • Aldukali A Alkeskas Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
  • Ahmed I Elbousify Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya
  • Elham O Omar Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
  • Allaaeddin A El Salabi Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7739-0543
  • Elhussan A Mohamed Central Sterilization Service Department, Benghazi Medical Center, Benghazi, Libya
  • Mohammed I Hameid Infection Control Office, Al-Jalah Trauma Hospital, Benghazi, Libya
  • Souad Alsanosi Infection Control Office, Al-Jalah Trauma Hospital, Benghazi, Libya
  • Dhouha Miniaoui Université Aix-Marseille, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, France https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1597-5069
  • Jean-Marc Rolain Université Aix-Marseille, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, France
  • Chedly Chouchani Laboratoire des Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire, Tunisia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.18674

Keywords:

Gram-negative bacteria, antimicrobial resistance, carbapenemase, clinical specimens, hospital environment, Libya

Abstract

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance has become a major threat to public health, especially in developing countries, due to the uncontrolled consumption of antibiotics. This study aims to characterize antibiotic resistance genes in different bacteria recovered in different healthcare facilities in Libya.

Methodology: 379 samples were recovered from various sources from different sites. 210 samples were able to grow on culture media. 133 Gram-negative carbapenem-resistant strains were recovered from clinical specimens (n = 64), and hospital environments (n = 69). Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed to select carbapenem-resistant strains. Colistin resistance was tested by the UMIC method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. RT-PCR was conducted to detect the incidence of carbapenemases-encoding genes.

Results: Gram-negative bacteria showed a low susceptibility to carbapenems. Molecular investigations indicated that NDM-1 was the most prevalent in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients and hospital environment (n = 26, n = 41), followed by blaOXA-48 (n = 16, n = 15) and blaVIM (n = 3) from patients and blaKPC (n = 1) from hospital environment. Concerning A. baumannii, blaOXA-23 was detected in strains isolated from patients (n = 8) and hospital environment (n = 6), followed by blaNDM (n = 9) from patients and one from hospital environment. Carbapenem resistance in P. aeruginosa was encoded by modification in OprD encoding gene, such as IS (ISpa26), polymorphism, and a premature stop codon.

Conclusions: Several carbapenem resistant Gram-negative bacteria were identified by the expression of different carbapenemases and the alteration of OprD.

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Published

2025-07-28

How to Cite

1.
Slimene K, Almahjoub SK, Alkeskas AA, Elbousify AI, Omar EO, El Salabi AA, Mohamed EA, Hameid MI, Alsanosi S, Miniaoui D, Rolain J-M, Chouchani C (2025) Molecular characterization and diversity of carbapenemases in Gram-negative bacteria in Libyan hospitals. J Infect Dev Ctries 19:1089–1099. doi: 10.3855/jidc.18674

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 07: July 2025

Section

Original Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Khouloud Slimene, Salem Almahjoub, Aldukali Abdulsalam Alkeskas, Ahmed Elbousify, Elham Omar, Allaaeddin El Salabi, Elhussan Mohamed, Mohammed Hameid, Souad Alsanosi, Dhouha Miniaoui, Jean-Marc Rolain, Chedly CHOUCHANI

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