Prevalence of Multidrug Efflux Pump Requiring Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Pefloxacin as Substrates, Among Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Forty two consecutive clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were screened for the presence of reserpine inhibited multidrug (MDR) efflux pump, utilizing ciprofloxacin ofloxacin and/or pefloxacin as substrates, by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration in the presence and absence of 100 mg/L reserpine. The result showed that 50% of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates possessed reserpine inhibited MDR efflux pump. MDR efflux pump requiring ofloxacin (40.48%) were significantly (p<0.01) more among the isolates when compared with those requiring ciprofloxacin (16.67%) or pefloxacin (11.90%). Only one isolate possessed reserpine inhibited MDR efflux pumps that utilize all three fluiroquinolones. Research into suitable combination of antibacterials and appropriate pump mactivators or antibacterials that are less likely to be substrate for MDR pumps is advocated.

Keywords

• Efflux pump
• Reserpine
• Fluoroquinolones
• Pseudomones aeruginosa