Molecular Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta- Lactamase Genes in Enterobacter cloacae Isolated from Clinical Specimens

Abstract

Recently, there is an increased incidence and prevelance of Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBLs) infections. Enterobacter cloacae is one of the organisms that cause these infections. There is an urgent need to develop specific molecular detection tests although such tests, would be more expensive than the standard tests but might have more beneficial results that lead to more effective managment of the patients. This study was conducted in the Research Laboratory at the Sudan University of Science and Technology, during the period from December 2009 to May 2010, to detect TEM, SHV and CTX-M genes in ESBLs-producing Enterobacter cloacae. The 7 E. cloacae 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 adopted to detect the different genes including (SHV, CTX-M). The result revealed, the presence of TEM gene only in four of the isolates. It is concluded that, TEM gene is the commonest gene in E. cloacae isolates. Thus, this gene may be the dominaned one that is responsible for ESBL phenomenon among E. cloacae infection in Sudanese patients. Further studies are required to confirm the presence of this gene in Sudanese bacterial isolates.