Abstract

MWAKYABALA, Jenipher G. et al. Characterisation of genes encoding for extended spectrum β-lactamase in Gram-negative bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections in Mwanza, Tanzania. Afr. J. Lab. Med. [online]. 2023, vol.12, n.1, pp.1-5. ISSN 2225-2010.  https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2107.

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) caused by extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (ESBL-GNB) increase morbidity and mortality. This cross-sectional study characterised ESBL genes (bla_CTX-M, bla_TEM and bla_SHV) among 30 ceftriaxone-resistant GNB causing HCAIs between January 2022 and July 2022 by multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay at the zonal referral hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. Twenty-five (83.3%) had at least one ESBL gene, of which 23/25 (92.0%) carried the bla_CTX-M gene. Seventy-two percent (18/25) of the GNB-ESBL isolates carried more than one ESBL gene, of which the majority (88.8%; n = 16/25) carried the bla_CTX-M and bla_TEM genes. Extended spectrum β-lactamase genes, particularly bla_CTX-M, are common among ceftriaxone-resistant GNB causing HCAIs. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This study revealed the distribution of genes (bla_CTX-M, bla_TEM and bla_SHV) coding for ESBL production among ceftriaxone resistant GNB causing HCAIs However, all ESBL producing GNB were susceptible towards ceftriaxone-sulbactam indicating that ceftriaxone-sulbactam may be empirically prescribed for treating patients with HCAIs.

Keywords : beta lactamases; extended spectrum beta-lactamase; Gram-negative bacteria; healthcare-associated infections; multiplex PCR assay.

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