Phenotypic and Genotypic Screening for VIM and IMP-Type Metallo-β-Lactamases in Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates from Tripoli Hospitals

Mohamed Ahmed; Abdulmottaleb Zetrini; Murad Daddesh; Najib Sufya; Hend Shubar; Nada Algrew; Naseem Abu khutwa; Hamza Atiya; Abdulaziz Zorgani; Abdulla Bashein

doi:10.54361/ajmas.258333

Authors

Mohamed Ahmed Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2085-3137
Abdulmottaleb Zetrini Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9648-3074
Murad Daddesh Ministry of Health of Libya, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3170-8901
Najib Sufya Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8543-5385
Hend Shubar Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6754-1379
Nada Algrew Libyan Biotechnology research center, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0137-8374
Naseem Abu khutwa Libyan Biotechnology research center, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6277-9350
Hamza Atiya Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8164-5624
Abdulaziz Zorgani Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-5427
Abdulla Bashein Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8984-831X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54361/ajmas.258333

Keywords:

Acinetobacter Baumannii, Metallo-Β-Lactamase, Blaimp, Blavim.

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a major nosocomial pathogen, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), due to its remarkable resistance to multiple antibiotics and its persistence in hospital environments. The occurrence of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, often driven by the metallo-β-lactamase genes such as blaIMP and blaVIM, results in a serious clinical threat. In this study, 119 A. baumannii samples were collected from different hospitals in Tripoli, Libya. Real-time PCR revealed that 29 (24.3%) isolates carry the blaIMP gene and 62 (52%) have the blaVIM gene. Phenotypic detection of carbapenemase production revealed that chromogenic media had the highest detection rate (74.7%), followed by the Modified Hodge Test (67%) and E-test (47%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed 100% resistance to ertapenem, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone, ampicillin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate, with high resistance also observed against imipenem (88.2%), meropenem (88.2%), gentamycin (94.9%), ciprofloxacin (94%), and levofloxacin (92.4%). Colistin was the only antibiotic to which all A. baumannii isolates remained sensitive. These findings underscore the high burden of multidrug resistance and the widespread presence of blaVIM and blaIMP genes in A. baumannii isolates in Libya. Improved molecular surveillance, reliable detection methods, and improved antibiotic stewardship are urgently needed to control the spread of these resistant pathogens.