Analysis of the Correlation Between Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Virulence Determinants in Pathogenic Isolates from Egypt.

is responsible for a plethora of infections involving multiple body systems. This study investigated clinical isolates for virulence-associated characters and antibiotic resistance. First, antibiotic sensitivity was determined for 40 clinical isolates. Some virulence and resistance-associated factors were studied phenotypically and genotypically. Multiple resistance profiles were observed (multidrug resistant [MDR; 42.5%], extensive drug resistant [XDR; 35%], and pandrug resistant [PDR; 5%]). Moreover, , , , and genes were detected in 70%, 30%, 60%, and 30% of selected isolates, respectively, and 40% of tested isolates were extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producers. Interestingly, all ESBLs producers harbored class 1 integrase gene (), while 60% of ESBLs producers harbored both and . All tested isolates were capsulated while 87.5% were biofilm producers. Fimbriae were detected in 90% of tested isolates (all were biofilm producers and type 3 fimbriae adhesion gene [] positive). Sequence analysis of , , and revealed 100% identity with published sequences, while sequencing of , , and iron regulatory protein gene () showed minor variations in the form of one or few single-nucleotide polymorphism. Altogether, the current study revealed that all MDR, XDR, and PDR isolates were multivirulent and all harbored 3-5 virulence genes and 2-9 antimicrobial resistance genes and exhibited 8 and 10 different virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles, respectively. In this study, we also report a positive correlation between some virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance genes among tested isolates.