Concomitant Detection of Biofilm Formation and MBL Production in Meropenem Resistant Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The purpose of this study was to detect biofilm formation and to examine the correlation between biofilm and Metallo-β-lactamases (MBL) production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A total of 64 P. aeruginosaisolates were identified using standard microbiological methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed on them according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The isolates were screened for biofilm production using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The presence of MBL genes were checked by multiplex PCR assay. Out of all 30 meropenem resistant P. aeruginosa, 2 isolates were found producing all the three genes (i.e. blaIMP, blaVIM, blaSIM) for MBL production and they were found to produce biofilm. Resistant to four antibiotics such as aztreonam (85.7% vs 11.1%, P< 0.000), Cefepime (82.1% vs 2.8%, P<0.000) gentamycin (82.1% vs 27.8%, P< 0.000) and Pipercillin/Tazobactum was also high (28.6% vs 2.8% P< 0.003) was comparatively higher among biofilm producers than non biofilm producers. In biofilm production, both qualitative method and quantitative plate method showed 16 isolates (53.3%) as biofilm producers for MBL genes. Out of these 16, only 9 isolates showed MBL production along with biofilm production having significant association (P<0.004).

The prevalence of MBLs has been increasing worldwide, particularly among P. aeruginosa, leading to severe limitations in the therapeutic options for the management. Presence of MBL genes has a role in inducing biofilm production and significant association in P. aeruginosa isolates. Overall, drug resistance was found to be more in biofilm producing isolates than non biofilm isolates.