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The Resistance Patterns Of Klebsiella Pneumoniae

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This article was written by Safoura Derakhshan PhD, Shahin Najar Peerayeh PhD, and Bita Bakhshi PhD. These men currently work at Tarbiat Modares University and specialize in bacteriology. This article focused on the resistance patterns of Klebsiella Pneumoniae-- the relationship between virulence genes and antibiotic resistance. K. Pneumoniae is a gram negative opportunistic pathogen encapsulated in a polysaccharide capsule. K. Pneumoniae is frequently responsible for nosocomial infections. Typically K. Pneumoniae affects the respiratory tract but can also be found in urinary tract infections, wounds or in the blood stream. In recent years, multidrug resistant strains have been isolated from nosocomial infections. Bacteria have many ways to gain resistance. Plasmids are circular DNA strands separate from the host DNA. They are able to replicate independently of the host and are an important factor in horizontal gene transfer. Plasmids often encode resistance genes or other virulence factors. Transposable elements are another way bacteria can acquire resistance. Transposable elements are DNA sequences that have the ability to insert themselves into host DNA or plasmids. The transposing of a plasmid gene to the host can result in permanent genetic resistance. Integrons are mobile genetic structures with DNA genes that encode for an integrase site and attachment site. Integrons are able to acquire and incorporate gene cassettes which often contain resistance

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