Plasmid mediated multidrug resistant of uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis

A total of 136 urine samples were collected aseptically from patients with urinary tract abnormality from April to June, 2010. Depending on morphological, cultural and biochemical testes 16(~11.8%) Proteus mirabilis isolates were recovered. They were examined for antibiotic resistance. All of the isolates(100%) were resistant to Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Cephalothin, They showed highly resistant rate to Tetracycline (81%), and Gentamycin(75%). Some of the isolates exhibit resistant to the third generation Cephalosporines as Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxon(Cef). There are 5 Multi drug resistant (MDR) phenotypes have been recognized. It have been found that three of these isolates produced β-lactamase enzymes and each of them was bearing single plasmid of more than 3000bp in size (the largest fragment of the DNA marker). Following curing experiment, the mutant strains lost their plasmids and resistance to all β-lactam antibiotics which included Ampicillin, amoxicillin, cephalothin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone as well as Tetracycline and Gentamycin. The results of present study highlight that some of MDR phenotype exhibiting by uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis attributed to plasmid bearing multiple resistance determinant.