Clonal Analysis of Clinical and Environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates from Meknes Region, Morocco

Abstract

From 123 clinical and environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, 24 strains were selected for their similar antibioresistance, virulence and biofilm formation profiles, to examine their diversity and occurrence of clones within two hospitals and different natural sites in Meknes (Morocco). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, using DraI enzyme, didn’t reveal a close relationship between clinical and environmentalisolates nor between strains of the two hospitals. 19 genotypes were obtained, including two virulent environmental clones and three clini­cal clones virulent and resistant to antibiotics. Intra-hospital transmission of high-risk clones detected, in and between wards, constitutes a great public health concern.

Keywords

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• clonal transmission in hospital
• genetic diversity
• genotyping of environmental and clinical isolates