Investigation of mphA gene in Shigella isolates from stools

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESShigellosis is endemic worldwide and often causes bacterial dysentery. Antibiotic treatment is a critical approach to prevent the spread and mortality of bacterial infection. azithromycin is used as an alternative treatment for Shigella species that are resistant to multiple drugs simultaneously. mphA is a gene that is resistant to azithromycin. Through plasmid transfer, Shigella species acquire the mechanism of macrolide resistance. The present study evaluates the distribution of the azithromycin resistance gene in clinical isolates of Shigella.MATERIALS AND METHODSFaecal samples (n = ۵۰) were collected from a general hospital in Tehran, Iran. After isolating Shigella isolates and determining their identity, DNA extraction was performed by boiling method, molecular study based on PCR was performed to confirm the presence of resistance genes in Shigella isolates.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION۳۲(۶۴%) isolates were shigella sonnei and ۱۳(۲۶%) isolates were shigella flexneri and ۳(۶%) isolates were shigella dysenteriae and ۲(۴%) isolates were shigella boydii. According to the PCR results, out of fifty isolates, fourteen isolates (۲۸%) contained the mphA gene.CONCLUSIONInvestigation of the characteristics of Shigella as a cause of diarrhoea and awareness of the pattern of antibiotic resistance helps to reduce the prevalence of infection and the cost of treatment. As azithromycin is recommended for the treatment of multi-resistant Shigella infections, the susceptibility of these isolates to azithromycin should be tested regularly. Treatment of Shigella infections with oral antibiotics remains difficult due to the persistence of multidrug resistance. Determining the susceptibility profiles of azithromycin is essential.

کلیدواژه ها:

Shigella ، antibiotic resistance ، azithromycin