Proceedings of International Conference on Applied Innovation in IT  ·  2026/06/12  ·  Vol. 14  ·  Issue 4  ·  pp. 729–734
Molecular Characterization of Biofilm Formation-Associated Genes, and Antibiotic Resistance Burden in MDR Staphylococcus Aureus
Mustafa Abdulkareem Mustafa, Zainab Hussein Mahdi and Muthana Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Mahdawi
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Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation, and persistent infections, representing a major challenge in clinical treatment. This study aimed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance profiles, biofilm formation ability, and the distribution of biofilm- and virulence-associated genes among multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) S. aureus isolates. A total of 250 clinical bacterial isolates were examined, from which 50 S. aureus isolates obtained from different clinical sources were identified using conventional microbiological methods and confirmed by the automated VITEK® 2 system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI guidelines, and isolates were classified as MDR and XDR. Biofilm production was assessed using the microtiter plate method. All isolates demonstrated biofilm-forming ability, including strong (84%), moderate (10%), and weak (6%) producers. A significant difference in resistance burden was observed between MDR and XDR isolates, with mean resistance scores of 9.62 and 14.10, respectively (p = 5.66 × 10⁻⁷). Twenty highly resistant isolates were selected for molecular analysis by PCR targeting the agrA, icaA, sarA, and fnbA genes. The detected prevalence of these genes was fnbA (100%), icaA (90%), sarA (85%), and agrA (80%). The findings indicate that biofilm formation and the presence of associated virulence genes may contribute to enhanced antimicrobial resistance and bacterial persistence. Integration of phenotypic and molecular approaches is essential for improved surveillance, diagnosis, and management of resistant S. aureus infections.
Keywords
MDR S aureus Biofilm agrA icaA sarA and fnbA Genes
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