Abstract:
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are one of the problems that facing the
world now in the treatment of bacterial infections. This study was conducted in the
Research Laboratory in Sudan University of Science and Technology. The study was
carried out during the period from December 2009 to May 2010, to detect TEM, SHV
and CTX-M genes in ESBLs- producing Serratia marcescens. The Serratia marcescens
strains were obtained from the Research Laboratory. All strains were checked for purity
by sub-culturing on nutrient agar and examined microscopically. Bacterial DNA was
extracted from each isolate using boiling method. Multiplex PCR was used to detect these
genes. The obtained result showed the presence of TEM gene only in five of the isolates;
SHV and CTX-M were not detected in all the isolates examined. It is concluded that,
TEM gene is the commonest gene in Serratia marcescens isolates. Further studies with a
large number of bacterial strains are required to validate this result.
