Β-LACTAMASE GENES AMONG NOSOCOMIAL MULTI DRUG RESISTANT ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII ISOLATED IN CLINICAL SAMPLES

Antibiotic resista nce in Acinetobacter spp., particularly Acinetobacter baumannii, is increasing rapidly. A. baumannii possesses two intrinsic b - lactamase genes, in addition to weak permeability and efflux systems, that together confer a natural reduced susceptibility to an tibiotics. In addition, numerous acquired mechanisms of resistance have been identified in A. baumannii. The very high genetic plasticity of A. baumannii allows an accumulation of resistance determinants that give rise to multidrug resistance at an alarmin g rate. The objective of the present study was to identify the presence of A. baumannii carbapenem - resistant encoding genes by real time PCR targeting blaOXA51 - like gene. The role of novel genetic elements, such as resistance islands; in concentrating ant ibiotic resistance genes in A. baumannii requires detailed investigation in the near future.