The present study aimed at investigating the spread of serine carbapenemase-producing isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovered from some hospitals and specialized health centers in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq. Using morphological and molecular methods, 630 clinical samples (244 burn swabs, 163 sputa, 115 urine samples, and 108 ear swabs) were tested. The current work also explored the carbapenemase production ability of the carbapenemresistant (CR) isolates using morphological and molecular methods. A monoplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) technique targeting 4 different serine carbapenemase (SCMs) coding genes was followed. The study also explored the nucleotide sequences of the SCM genes. The API 20 E and Vitek 2 system showed that 100 of the isolates belonged to P. aeruginosa. With different severity of resistance by percentages of isolates to various antibiotics, only 24% of the isolates displayed resistance against carbapenem. The results of the SCM-related MPCR showed the occurrence of the bla GES , bla sMe , bla KPC , and bla OXA-48 genes in 20 (83.3%), 19 (79.1%), 11 (45.8%), 18 (75%), respectively, of the isolates. The phylogenetic study analysis revealed high, 99%, identity with NCBI-related world strains. According to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Iraq that detects a group of encoding genes of serine carbapenemase in carbapenem-resistant isolates.

Introduction:The World Health Organization(WHO) has rated Carbapenems Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosafrom top priority pathogens to research and develop new antibiotics. Objectives: The current work intended to detect the presence of the metallo-β-lactamase genes in Pseudomonasaeruginosa isolates cultivated from some healthcare centers in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq. Materials and methods: After induction of specific traditional cultivation and identification methods for 630 samples (244 burn swabs, 163 sputa, 115 urine samples, and 108 ear swabs), a monoplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) method aiming at 8 metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) genes was followed. Partial-gene sequencing of the MBLs was also performed to understand some of the evolution history of those isolates. Results: The P. aeruginosa was identified in 100 isolates. MBL-related MPCR results showed the presence of blaVIM, blaSPM, blaGIM, blaNDM, blaAIM,blaSIM, and blaDIM genes in 16 (66.isolates. No detection of the blaIMP was observed. The phylogenic study demonstrated high matching rates, 99%, with global strains from the NCBI-related database. Conclusion: To the best of our awareness, the current work is the first in Iraq identifying metallo-β-lactamase genes in Pseudomonasaeruginosa isolates. KX452682.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ram1 blaSIM-2 (blaSIM-2) gene partial cds Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.19 (blaSIM)gene LC054838.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa DNA DIM-1 gene and its flanking region strain: IOMTU 133 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.4 (blaDIM)gene NG 049143.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa blaGIM gene for subclass B1 metallo-beta-lactamase GIM-1 complete CDS Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.15 (blaGIM)gene Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.4 (blaGIM) gene NG 050140.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa blaSPM gene for subclass B1 metallo-beta-lactamase SPM-1 complete CDS Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.6 (blaSPM)gene Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.3(blaNDM) gene Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.5 (blaNDM) gene MK159352.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain SN10 subclass B1 metallo-beta-lactamase NDM-1 (blaNDM) gene blaNDM-1 allele complete cds NG 048689.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa WCH2677 blaAIM gene for subclass B3 metallo-beta-lactamase AIM-1 complete CDS Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.5 (blaAIM)gene Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.12 (blaVIM)gene NG 050336.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa VR-143/97 blaVIM gene for subclass B1 metallo-beta-lactamase VIM-1 complete CDS Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate No.3 (blaVIM)gene