Unveiling resistance: Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from Iraqi patients
Department of Pathological Analyses, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Iraq.
10.21608/mb.2025.380143.1302
Abstract
ntimicrobial resistance is a significant global health threat, resulting in treatment failures and increased morbidity from hospital-acquired infections. This study aimed to investigate the drug sensitivity and resistance patterns of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) obtained from patients. A total of 59 E. coli and 28 K. pneumoniae bacterial isolates were included in the study. All isolates were characterized using standard bacterial culture methods, including culture on MacConkey agar and Eosin Methylene Blue agar, as well as biochemical tests. VITEK® 2 was also used as a verification tool for identification. Additionally, antibiotic sensitivity tests were conducted using the standard disk diffusion method for various antibiotics. The findings reveal high resistance rates among the bacterial isolates, particularly to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (AMC), trimethoprim (TMP), and ciprofloxacin (CTX). The results showed that most isolated strains of E. coli and K. pneumoniae exhibited varying resistance patterns. Notably, E. coli demonstrated the highest resistance to Trimethoprim (TMP), with 36 out of 59 isolates (61%) showing resistance; in contrast, only 1 out of 59 isolates (1.7%) showed resistance to Meropenem (MEM). Meanwhile, K. pneumoniae exhibited significant resistance, with 10 out of 28 isolates (35.7%) resistant to Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid (AMC), TMP, and Ciprofloxacin (CTX). Conversely, K. pneumoniae showed 0% resistance to both MEM and Amikacin (AK). The study concluded that the majority of isolates were associated with urinary infections, primarily in females. Although Meropenem and Amikacin remain effective options, it is crucial to use them carefully to prevent further resistance. Establishing strong antibiotic stewardship and ongoing monitoring of resistance patterns is essential in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
A. Hassan, L., Abdul Kareem, T., Abdul Ridha Al-Buhamrah, N., & Mahdy Obaid Khzal, A. (2025). Unveiling resistance: Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from Iraqi patients. Microbial Biosystems, 10(4), -. doi: 10.21608/mb.2025.380143.1302
MLA
Lina A. Hassan; Taghreed Abdul Kareem; Noor Abdul Ridha Al-Buhamrah; Alaa Mahdy Obaid Khzal. "Unveiling resistance: Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from Iraqi patients", Microbial Biosystems, 10, 4, 2025, -. doi: 10.21608/mb.2025.380143.1302
HARVARD
A. Hassan, L., Abdul Kareem, T., Abdul Ridha Al-Buhamrah, N., Mahdy Obaid Khzal, A. (2025). 'Unveiling resistance: Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from Iraqi patients', Microbial Biosystems, 10(4), pp. -. doi: 10.21608/mb.2025.380143.1302
VANCOUVER
A. Hassan, L., Abdul Kareem, T., Abdul Ridha Al-Buhamrah, N., Mahdy Obaid Khzal, A. Unveiling resistance: Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from Iraqi patients. Microbial Biosystems, 2025; 10(4): -. doi: 10.21608/mb.2025.380143.1302
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