Development of real-time PCR assay allowed describing the first clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate harboring plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mcr-8 gene in Algeria.

Objectives: We aimed to develop here a specific real-time PCR assay with TaqMan® probe to detect efficiently bacterial strains harboring the new plasmid mediated-colistin resistance mcr-8 gene.

Methods: Specific primers and probe for mcr-8 gene were designed from sequences alignment of all mcr genes variants. Specificity of the designed primers and probe were first checked par BlastN analysis and by in silico PCR.