AMB Volume 42, Issue 3, 2026 Pages 436-446 https://doi.org/10.59393/amb26420306
High Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection-Associated Multidrug- and Extensively Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Allayli A.H., Organji S.R., Al-maaqar S.M., Neyaz L.A., Thega M.M., Albarakaty F.M., Elbanna K., Alzarawi M.M., Abulreesh H.H.
Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, the pathogen of nosocomial infections, has gained significant clinical importance. The rise of clinical K. pneumoniae resistance to ESBL (extended-spectrum beta-lactamase) has complicated the treatment of associated infections. Hospital samples were collected from the Riyadh region and characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of urinary tract infection-associated K. pneumoniae. K. pneumoniae isolates (26) were collected from three hospitals. Multiple techniques (API 20E strips, VITEK 2 compact, and 16s rRNA sequencing) were followed for their phenotypic and genotypic confirmation. The VITEK 2 compact system assisted in phenotypic characterization of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, whereas resistance-encoding genes were detected through PCR amplification. Approximately all K. pneumoniae isolates appeared to be ESBL-positive and exhibited MDR patterns. Moreover, a high prevalence of resistance genes (blaTEM, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48) was noted in these isolates. These findings denote a critical resistance threshold necessitating effective antimicrobial stewardship, regular molecular surveillance, and reinforced preventive measures under the integrated One Health framework. This approach could restrict the further spread of environmental, clinical, and community-related multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae.
Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae, urinary tract infections, antimicrobial resistance, ESBL, resistance genes
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