Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Co-culture Models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown on Live Human Airway Cells
11:21

Co-culture Models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown on Live Human Airway Cells

Published on: October 6, 2010

Biofilm and blaOXA-40 Co-Production: A Key Pathogenic Strategy in Hospital-Adapted Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Hossein Ghahremanpour1, Amin Talebi Bezmin Abadi1, Abbas Ali Imani Fooladi2

  • 1Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Archives of Medical Research
|July 17, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, common in ICUs, shows increased biofilm formation. This highlights a significant challenge for infection control and treatment, necessitating ongoing surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa's carbapenem resistance and biofilm formation pose clinical challenges, especially in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • This study examined antimicrobial resistance, carbapenemase genes, and biofilm characteristics in ICU and non-ICU P. aeruginosa isolates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate antimicrobial resistance patterns, carbapenemase gene prevalence, and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • To identify risk factors associated with carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa in hospitalized patients.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed 130 P. aeruginosa isolates using disk diffusion for antimicrobial susceptibility.
  • Assessed carbapenemase production via mCIM/eCIM assays and quantified biofilm formation using microtiter plates.
  • Detected carbapenemase and biofilm-associated genes (blaKPC-2, blaOXA-40, blaOXA-48, blaGES-2, blaVIM, blaIMP, blaNDM-1, algD, pelF, pslD) by PCR and gene expression by qPCR.

Main Results:

  • ICU isolates showed significantly higher resistance to meropenem (61.5%) and imipenem (60%).
  • blaGES-2 (93.6%) and blaNDM-1 (14.6%) were the predominant carbapenemase genes; blaOXA-40 was newly identified in Iran.
  • Carbapenem-resistant isolates exhibited stronger biofilm formation and higher algD/pelF expression (p <0.01), with ICU stay, male sex, and tracheal aspirates as risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • High prevalence of extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa in ICUs, coupled with enhanced biofilm formation, presents a major therapeutic and infection control problem.
  • Continuous surveillance and molecular monitoring are crucial for managing hospital-associated infections caused by these resistant strains.
Keywords:
ICUPseudomonas aeruginosablaNDM-1, blaOXA-40

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