Phenotypic detection of efflux pumps in drug resistant Pseudomonas aeurginosa isolated from Suez Canal University Hospitals

ABSTRACT

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered as one of the top five pathogens of nosocomial diseases worldwide. Infections caused by P. aeruginosa are often severe and life threatening and are difficult to treat because of the limited susceptibility to antimicrobial agents and the high frequency of emergence of antibiotic resistance during therapy. What adds to the problem of P. aeruginosa nosocomial infections is the emergence of multi-drug resistant [MDR] strains that develop resistance by various mechanisms like multi drug resistance efflux pumps, production of beta-lactamases, aminoglycoside modifying enzymes and decrease outer membrane permeability. Efflux pumps contribute to multidrug resistance as they expel different types of antibiotics and chemicals