Journal of

Background: Carbapenemase genes have been spread among strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae that make them resistant to carbapenems. Hence, the present study aimed to study the prevalence of carbapenmase genes within K. pneumoniae isolates in Kermanshah medical centers.

Methods: Sixty isolates of K. pneumoniae were collected and identified using API kit. Then, antibiotic susceptibility of isolates was determined using a disk diffusion method. The carbapenems-resistant isolates were screened for carbapenemases production using the Modified Hodge Test (MHT). The carbapenemase genes of blaVIM, blaIMP, KPC and blaNDM were detected by PCR test .

Results: Out of 60 isolates, 4 isolates were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, but only one isolate was demonstrated to be positive for carbapenemases by MHT phenotypic testing. The gene of blaVIM was detected in three isolates by PCR, though other genes were not found in the isolates. Within the isolates, 6.67% and 100% were resistant to carbapenem and ampicillin, respectively.

Conclusion: The study findings revealed that dissemination rate of carbapenemase genes was not reported to be high among isolates of K. pneumoniae in Kermanshah. Only blaVIM gene was probably more frequent than other tested genes. Since most isolates examined in this study were susceptible to carbapenem antibiotics, these antibiotics are still regarded as effective drugs against infections caused by K. pneumoniae.