Multidrug Resistance Tracing by Plasmid Profile Analysis and the Curing of Bacteria from Different Clinical Specimens

Abstract

Human-pathogenic bacteria resistant to one or multiple antibiotics have dramatically increased worldwide in the past decades. These bacteria possess great danger, have become a global issue and it is now impossible to avoid developing strategies for the restoration of treatment options against infections caused by them. This research aims at profiling plasmids of multidrug-resistant bacteria from various clinical specimens such as ear exudate, sputum, urethral swab, wound swab, urine from the catheter, urine, nasal swab, high vaginal swab, stool, eye swab and blood at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Our investigation used the Agar diffusion method for susceptibility tests and identification of multidrug-resistant bacteria before plasmid extraction and gel electrophoresis. A plasmid curing test was performed with 10% Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate. Of the 860 bacteria whose resistance profile was determined, only 42 were multidrug-resistant. These bacteria include Pseudomonas aeruginosa 16 (38.10%), Staphylococcus aureus 12 (28.57%), Escherichia coli 9 (21.43%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae 5(11.90%). The molecular weight of their plasmids ranges between 20.884kbp and 187.50kbp. As indicated by the plasmid bands, some bacteria had similar molecular weight while others had no plasmid. The bacterial pattern of the post-curing sensitivity test showed that the bacteria with plasmid bands were cured as they became susceptible to the drugs they were previously resistant to, while the bacteria without plasmid bands remained resistant to the antibiotics. This implies that the latter’s multidrug resistance is non-plasmid mediated. Our analyses highlight the relationship between plasmids and multidrug resistance as well as the role of plasmids in the transmission of drug resistance across bacteria. Thus, in order to lessen the burden that multidrug-resistant bacteria cause and to improve bacterial infections treatments, there should be continued surveillance and periodic research on antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria from various clinical settings.