Molecular Detection of Antibiotic Resistance Genes using Respiratory Sample from Pneumonia Patients

Introduction/Objectives: Antibiotic resistance makes treatment for pneumonia challenging. Effective management depends on accurate diagnosis techniques to find resistance genes and customize drugs. This study primarily aimed to identify antibiotic resistance genes in respiratory samples from pneumonia patients using PCR to determine the prevalence of specific resistance genes and analyze clinical factors contributing to antibiotic resistance to provide actionable insights into resistance patterns in Jordan and support efforts to improve pneumonia management. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted involving 114 patients diagnosed with pneumonia. Clinical data, including prior antibiotic exposure and treatment history, were collected. PCR diagnostics were utilized to detect resistance genes in respiratory samples. This study evaluated 14 antibiotic resistance genes in pneumonia pathogens, highlighting diverse resistance mechanisms. Results: The Mec A gene was the most frequently detected, appearing in 87 samples (77.3%). Additionally, Tem in 80 samples (70.2%), Oxa-48-like in 15 samples (13.2%), and Ctx-M-1 38 samples (33.3%) were among the most common detected genes. In contrast, genes such as Oxa-40-like (7.0%), Vim (8.8%), and Imp (4.4%) exhibited lower prevalence. The Oxa-51-like gene showed the only significant association with Ertapenem resistance (p-value=0.046). Further analysis revealed statistically significant associations between the Mec A gene and methicillin resistance (p<0.001), underscoring its critical role. However, other genes, such as Oxa-40-like and Oxa-48-like, showed no significant correlation with resistance patterns for antibiotics like imipenem and meropenem (p>0.05). Conclusions: This research demonstrates the utility of PCR-based diagnostics in detecting resistance genes and highlights critical clinical factors associated with antibiotic resistance in pneumonia patients. The findings underscore the importance of integrating molecular diagnostics into routine care to improve treatment outcomes and combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in Jordan. This highlights PCR’s value in guiding effective treatment strategies and addressing multidrug-resistant pneumonia.