116 Prevalence of Virulence Genes, Biofilm Production and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in Selected Tertiary Hospitals in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen that forms resilient biofilms, frequently causing urinary tract infections (UTIs), especially in catheterized patients. Catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) pose a significant global health threat, accounting for most device-associated healthcare-acquired infections, with substantial morbidity and mortality. This study investigates the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility patterns and virulence factors of P. aeruginosa associated with CAUTIs in selected tertiary hospitals in Ekiti State, Nigeria Methods/Case Report Two hundred catheter urine samples were obtained from admitted patients in surgical wards from the two tertiary hospitals. Catheter urine samples were analyzed by microscopy and cultured on Blood agar, Cystine-lactose electrolyte deficient agar and Cetrimide agar. Identity of isolates were further confirmed using appropriate biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using disc diffusion method. The isolates were further tested for biofilm formation, using microtiter plate assay. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect genes associated with virulence (toxA) and multiple antibiotic resistance (OprL) in 10 randomly selected isolates that exhibited multiple resistance and biofilm production. Results The result for biofilm production revealed that 60% (12/20) were positive with 7 (58.3%) and 5 (41.7%) identified as strong and moderate biofilm producers respectively. The OprL and and ToxA genes were detected in 8 (80%) 6 (60%) isolates respectively while both OprL and ToxA genes were detected in 5 (50%) isolates only. Conclusion The detection of virulence genes and biofilm production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from CAUTI in the study area is worrisome. The study highlights the critical healthcare challenge of hospital-acquired infections in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for effective infection prevention and control measures.