title: Association Between Presence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of rmpA and wcaG virulence genes and Class 1, 2, and 3 integrons, and to evaluate a relationship between antibiotic resistance and virulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae METHODS: We collected a total of 200 K. pneumoniae isolates from hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the disk diffusion method. The extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers were detected using the combination disk method. We detected the rmpA and wcaG genes and class 1, 2, and 3 integrons via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The χ2test was used for statistical evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 200 isolates, 115 (57.5%) were ESBL producers; 74.0% carried the class 1 integron, and 1.0% carried the class 2 integron. The gene rmpA was detected in 7% of isolates and the gene wcaG in 23.5% of isolates. Integron-positive isolates showed a higher prevalence of wcaG compared with to integron-negative isolates (P <.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed a correlation between presence of virulence gene and antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae.
authors: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Safoura
authors: S
authors: Derakhshan
authors: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran najarp_s@modares.ac.ir.
authors: Shahin
authors: S
authors: Najar Peerayeh
authors: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran najarp_s@modares.ac.ir.
authors: Bita
authors: B
authors: Bakhshi
mesh_terms: D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D007492:Iran; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae; antibiotic resistance; bacterial capsule; extended-spectrum beta-lactamase; integrons; virulence genes