Prevalence of Clinically Isolated Metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Coding Genes, and Possible Risk Factors in Iran

Abstract

<strong><em>Background & Objective</em></strong><strong>: </strong>The spread of carbapenem-resistant <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> is a global concern. Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) enzymes cause extensive drug resistance among Gram-negative bacteria. The current study aimed at determining the prevalence of MBL-producing <em>P. aeruginosa</em> in Iran.<br /> <strong><em>Methods</em></strong><strong>:</strong> A total of 43 studies were found out of which 36 were adopted. Data were collected from Google, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Sciverse. The terms “<em>Pseudomonas</em> <em>aeruginosa</em>", “metallo-beta-lactamase", “prevalence", “carbapenems", and “Iran" were searched. Data from the isolates not producing MBLs were excluded from the study. Data were analyzed with Graph Pad Prism 6, meta-analysis section.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> According to the results of the current study, 36 surveys indicated that 55% of the clinically isolated <em>P. aeruginosa</em> in Iran were resistant to imipenem and meropenem, among which 37.72% were the MBL producers. Among genes encoding MBLs, <em>bla_VIM</em> and <em>bla_IMP</em> were predominant with the prevalence of 12.91%±11.01% and 12.50%±23.56%, respectively. No report of harboring <em>bla</em>_NDM1 and bla_SPM1 by <em>P. aeruginosa</em> was found, similar to most of the other countries in Asia. The prevalence of <em>bla_VIM</em> and <em>bla_IMP</em> from burn settings were 11.50%±3.5% and 24.65%±23%, respectively. Furthermore, the prevalence of these genes was not significantly different among burn and non-burn isolates (P=0.942 and P=0.597, respectively). Moreover, no relationship was observed between the MBL production and patients' age range.<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Approximately half of <em>P. aeruginosa</em> isolates were carbapenem-resistant in Iran, and approximately half were the MBL producers. The <em>bla_VIM</em>and <em>bla_IMP</em> were the predominantMBLs among <em>P</em>. <em>aeruginosa</em> strains, while other genes were not found in <em>P. aeruginosa</em>. Moreover, there was no significant difference between <em>bla_VIM</em> and <em>bla_IMP</em>among burn and non-burn isolates. Due to the multiple drug resistance conferred by MBLs, detection and control of their spread alongside proper therapeutic regimens in hospitals and community settings are essential to prevent infection acquisition.