Drug resistance pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients at Isfahan AL Zahra hospital, Iran (2009–2010)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease. Infections in these patients are mostly caused by three bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza and particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Carbapenems including antibiotics are used to combat infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In recent years, carbapenems resistant strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical specimens are being reported. Decrease in drug penetration and production of metalobeta lactamase (MBLS) have been proposed as mechanisms of resistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this descriptive study, the population under investigation was 27 patients suffering from CF in Alzahra hospital of Isfahan. Clinical specimens were taken by deep swabbing from throat and data from every patient was recorded in a questionnaire. The specimens were cultured and isolated organisms were identified as P. aeruginosa using standard tests. Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine the bacterial drug resistance pattern. Strains of P. aeruginosa were checked for production of MBLS using disk impregnated with IPM-EDTA and PCR targeting of bla(VIM). RESULTS Among the 27 patients, 7 (26%) had P. aeruginosa infection. In total, 11 P. aeruginosa isolates were taken. All isolates were susceptible to imipenem, ticarcillin, ciprofloxacin and piperacillin. The lowest scale of susceptibility belonged to ceftazidime (72.2%) followed by tobramycin (45.4%). None of the strains were positive for the bla(VIM) gene. CONCLUSION Isolates of P. aeruginosa from CF patients in Isfahan were susceptible to antibiotics during the study period.