Distribution of Pantoea agglomerans isolates and molecular detection of bla_PER-1 ESβL gene: A statistical study

to study the distribution of Pantoea agglomerans (P. agglomerans) statistically and the presence of bla_PER-1 type ESβL in the clinical and environmental isolates.

During a period of 2014-2015, 895 blood specimens and 438 hospital environmental samples were collected from one children's hospital in Baghdad city. The results of statistical analysis showed there was no relationship between the infection with P. agglomerans and the sex, while there was a relationship between the infection with the P. agglomerans and the place of residence and also the age of patients.

A total of 23 P. agglomerans were isolated during the study, out of 23 isolates, 13 (56.52%) and 10 (43.48%) were isolated from blood specimens and from hospital environment. All 23 isolates had 100% sensitivity rate to Imipenem and the highest resistant rate was (95.65%) to Ampicillin. Out of 23 P. agglomerans, 14 (60.87%) isolates were positive ESβL producing by the screening test.

The result of molecular screening of the gene bla_PER-1 showed the presence of this gene only in phenotypically ESBL producing isolates, while all negative ESβL producing isolates don't harboring bla_PER-1 gene. Out of 14 positive ESβL producing P. agglomerans isolates, 5 (35.71%) were harboring bla_PER-1 gene and 9 (64.29%) of positive ESβL producing isolates were don't harboring bla_PER-1 gene (significant difference at ≤0.05).