Molecular investigation of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) genes in the Salmonella isolates obtained from children with acute diarrhea

Salmonellosis is an important public health concern among children in worldwide. Extended-spectrum β-lactams (ESBLs) cause resistance to clinically important beta-lactams which are generally used to treat invasive Salmonella infections. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of SHV, TEM and CTX-M genes in different strains of Salmonella isolated from children with acute diarrhea and to determine their resistance profile. In this cross-sectional study, ۳۰۰ fecal samples were collected from children referred to the Amirkola Children's Hospital, Babol, Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done according to the CLSI guideline. ESBLs-producing strains were identified using double disk synergy test method on the Mueller-Hinton agar plates. Multiplex-PCR was performed using oligonucleotide specific primers to detect of SHV, TEM and CTX-M genes. In total, ۷% (n; ۲۱/۳۰۰) salmonella were isolated, which ۶۱.۹%, ۲۸.۶% and ۹.۵% were Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhi, respectively. The prevalence of the ESBL-producing isolates were ۵۲.۴%. M-PCR results showed that ۴۲.۸%, ۳۸.۱% and ۱۴.۳% of isolates were carried CTX-M, TEM and SHV genes, respectively. Also, ۱۸.۲% of isolates harbored CTX-M, and TEM genes, simultaneously. The high rate of ESBLs-producing Salmonella strains in the pediatric patients is an alarm. It is also recommended that alternative drugs be used with less resistance, which requires further investigation.

Keywords:

Beta-lactamase , Salmonella , Diarrhea , Pediatric , PCR