Comparative analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates between antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive strains using polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping and protein profiling.

This study explored the genetic connections between antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive isolates using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based genotyping methods and protein profiling of Klebsiella pneumoniae from clinical and environmental sources. PCR-based genotyping, such as enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR and repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence-based PCR (Rep) PCR, and protein profiling using outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and whole cell proteins (WCPs) were studied. Despite their different sources, PCR-based methods revealed genetic similarity between antibiotic-resistant and sensitive isolates. The protein profile also showed varying bands around the 29-43 kDa region. The PCR-based techniques were found to be dependable and repeatable. While the OMPs and WCPs profiles limited the selectiveness of the molecular typing techniques, they could still help determine the most and least frequently occurring protein bands, which would aid in typing K. pneumoniae isolates. To better understand the differences between antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive K pneumoniae isolates, PCR-based genotyping techniques were the most effective approach. Protein profiles and antibiogram results provided further insights into the typing process. PCR-based genotyping methods are dependable resources for examining genetic connections among K. pneumoniae isolates, supplemented by insights from protein profiling to improve understanding of their epidemiological relevance and antibiotic resistance mechanisms in hospital environments.