出版社：European HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy
摘要：Introduction Acinetobacter baumannii are nosocomial bacteria that are responsible for outbreaks and
severe infections in hospitalized patients globally. The major target of this study was the characterization
of virulence determinants and biofilm formation of A. baumannii isolates from hospitalized patients.
Methods In total, 100 A. baumannii were collected from three hospitals in Tehran, Iran, 2017-2018.
The isolates were assessed using phenotypic and genotypic methods and then screened for virulence factor
encoding genes such as plcN and lasB using conventional polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore,
bacterial biofilm formation, motility and hemolytic and proteolytic activities were assessed.
Results Of 100 A. baumannii isolates, 20 isolates included plcN and four isolates included lasB using
PCR assay. Overall, 21 isolates were negative for biofilm formation while 45, 20 and 14 of the total isolates
were reported as weak, moderate and strong biofilm producers, respectively. All isolates were positive for
bap genes using PCR. Moreover, 35 isolates were motile on Luria-Bertani media, 47 isolates were α-
hemolytic on Brucella blood agar media and all isolates displayed proteolytic activity.
Conclusions Healthcare-associated infections with A. baumannii are a major concern, importantly due
to their potency to acquire virulence factor genes. Therefore, shedding light in the discovery of new
antimicrobial and/or therapeutic agents against virulent A. baumannii strains seem to be necessary.
