PhD Dissertation at Babylon College of Medicine on the Role of Porins and Efflux Pumps in Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance
The Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, discussed the PhD dissertation of candidate Alya Amer Rahi Al-Asadi, entitled:
“The Role of Carbapenemases, Efflux Pumps, and Porin Expression in Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates Recovered from Various Clinical Samples in Babylon Province.”
The dissertation was supervised by Professor Dr. Huda Hadi Mohammed Al-Hasnawi.
The discussion was attended by the Dean of the College, Professor Dr. Muhannad Abbas Al-Shalah, the Head of the Department, Professor Dr. Jawad Kazem Tarad Al-Khafaji, in addition to several faculty members, academics, and postgraduate students.
During her defense, the researcher highlighted that Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections due to its high resistance to antibiotics, especially carbapenems. This resistance is acquired through multiple mechanisms such as the production of beta-lactamase enzymes, increased activity of efflux pumps, and alterations in cell membrane permeability.
In this study, 300 different clinical samples were collected from Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital during the period from January to June 2024. The samples included burn and wound swabs, urine, and blood specimens. The results led to the isolation of 25 A. baumannii strains, representing 8.33% of the total. The antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates was tested using the disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. The isolates showed high levels of resistance, particularly to beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems.
The biofilm formation test revealed that all A. baumannii isolates had the ability to produce biofilms with varying degrees: 44% strong, 28% moderate, and 28% weak producers.
These findings underscore the significant role of porins and efflux pumps in the resistance of A. baumannii to a broad spectrum of antibiotics used for treating hospital-acquired infections in Babylon Province, Iraq