Multiple typing of pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from different hospital departments

ABSTRACT

One hundred strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from different departments of Alexandria University Hospitals were subjected to serotyping, pyocine typing, beta-galactosidase detection, antibiogram typing and enzyme profiling. 38% of the isolates belonged to serotype 012, all of which proved to have no beta-galactosidase activity. 33% of strains were pyocine producers. Elastase production was high among all serogroups, regardless the site of infection [68%], which indicates a marked invasive potential and necessitates rapid and effective antibiotic treatment to prevent systemic dissemination. A marked concomitant resistance [66%] to commonly used antibiotic combinations [carbenicillin/gentamicin and carbenicillin/tobramycin] was detected among the predominant serotype 012. Epidemiologically, the utilization of serotyping, beta-galactosidase activity, antibiotic resistance pattern pyocine production and enzyme profiling permitted the fingerprinting and differentiation of clinical strains