Phylogeny, susceptibility and virulence determinants of Morganella morganii isolated from patients with urinary tract infections in Mosul, Iraq

A. S.  Sheet; A. Y.  Al-Shiti; I. T.  Dawood; A. H.  Rasol; A. M.  Hasouni; R. M.  Faisal

doi:10.15421/0224140

A. S. Sheet Northen Technical University
A. Y. Al-Shiti Ninevah University
I. T. Dawood University of Mosul
A. H. Rasol Rutgers University
A. M. Hasouni Nineveh Health Department
R. M. Faisal University of Mosul

Keywords: antibiotic resistance; Morganella morganii; phylogenetic groups; virulence genes.

Abstract

Morganella morganii is a human gut commensal microbiota and a rare opportunistic pathogen that is frequently isolated in microbiology labs in Mosul. However, little is known about its virulence and the most common phylogenetic group distributed. Therefore this study was conducted to isolate M. morganii from 100 urine samples collected form hospitalized patient with UTI in Mosul city, Iraq. Traditional and molecular identification with 16S rRNA gene sequence detected 3 M. morganii isolates. All three isolates belonged to the phylogenetic group A depending on the presence of chuA, yjaA, and TspE4C2 genes by PCR. All three isolates carried the virulence genes sat that encodes a secreted auto transporter toxin and hly that encodes a hemolysin. Two different genes which code for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (blaCTX, blaTEM) were detected in all three M. morganii isolates, while blaSHV and blaOXA were not detected. The lack of blaSHV and blaOXA in these isolates suggests that this mechanism of resistance may not be widespread in the local population of M. morganii.

References

Abdul-Razak, M. S. (2004). Isolation and characterization of Morganella morganii from alkaline urine. MJB, 1(3), 235–240.

Abdulrazzaq, R., & Faisal, R. (2022). Efficiency of hichrome Enterococcus faecium agar in the isolation of Enterococcus spp. and other associated bacterial genera from water. Journal of Life and Bio-Sciences Research 3(1), 1–6.

Abdulrazzaq, S. E., Faisal, R. M., & Hazem, E. G. (2024). Plasposon mutagenesis in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates reveals the function of a hypothetical protein in biofilm formation. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology, 20(6), 175–184.

Alexander, A., & Strete, D. (2003). Microbiology lab manual and atlas. McGraw-Hill Europe, New York.

Al-Muhanna, A. S., Al-Muhanna, S., & Alzuhairi, M. A. (2016). Molecular investigation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase genes and potential drug resistance in clinical isolates of Morganella morganii. Annals of Saudi Medicine, 36(3), 223–228.

Assouma, F. F., Sina, H., Adjobimey, T., Noumavo, A. D. P., Socohou, A., Boya, B., Dossou, A. D., Akpovo, L., Konmy, B. B. S., Mavoungou, J. F., Adjanohoun, A., & Baba-Moussa, L. (2023). Susceptibility and virulence of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from urinary tract infections in Benin. Microorganisms, 11(1), 213.

Bandy A. (2020). Ringing bells: Morganella morganii fights for recognition. Public Health, 182, 45–50.

Clermont, O., Bonacorsi, S., & Bingen, E. (2000). Rapid and simple determination of the Escherichia coli phylogenetic group. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 66(10), 4555–4558.

Guignot, J., Chaplais, C., Coconnier-Polter, M. H., & Servin, A. L. (2007). The secreted autotransporter toxin, Sat, functions as a virulence factor in Afa/Dr diffusely adhering Escherichia coli by promoting lesions in tight junction of polarized epithelial cells. Cellular Microbiology, 9(1), 204–221.

Harada, S., Ishii, Y., Saga, T., Kouyama, Y., Tateda, K., & Yamaguchi, K. (2012). Chromosomal integration and location on IncT plasmids of the blaCTX-M-2 gene in Proteus mirabilis clinical isolates. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 56(2), 1093–1096.

Ibrahim, M. A., & Faisal, R. M. (2024). Molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes on plasmids of Proteus mirabilis isolated from urine samples of Hospitals in Mosul City, Iraq. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 16(2), 830–841.

Keskar, V., Biyani, M., Amin, S. O., & Knoll, G. (2017). Successful treatment of PD peritonitis due to Morganella morganii resistant to third-generation cephalosporins – a case report. Peritoneal Dialysis International, 37(2), 241–242.

Khaleel, A. M., Faisal, R. M., & Altaii, H. A. (2023). The efficiency of molecular methods compared to traditional methods in identifying bacteria from blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology, 19(2), 115.

Khalifa, H. O., Soliman, A. M., Ahmed, A. M., Shimamoto, T., Hara, T., Ikeda, M., Kuroo, Y., Kayama, S., Sugai, M., & Shimamoto, T. (2017). High carbapenem resistance in clinical gram-negative pathogens isolated in Egypt. Microbial Drug Resistance, 23(7), 838–844.

Lai, C. C., Chen, Y. S., Lee, N. Y., Tang, H. J., Lee, S. S., Lin, C. F., Lu, P. L., Wu, J. J., Ko, W. C., Lee, W. S., & Hsueh, P. R. (2019). Susceptibility rates of clinically important bacteria collected from intensive care units against colistin, carbapenems, and other comparative agents: Results from surveillance of multicenter antimicrobial resistance in Taiwan (SMART). Infection and Drug Resistance, 12, 627–640.

Leclercq, R., Cantón, R., Brown, D. F., Giske, C. G., Heisig, P., MacGowan, A. P., Mouton, J. W., Nordmann, P., Rodloff, A. C., Rossolini, G. M., Soussy, C. J., Steinbakk, M., Winstanley, T. G., & Kahlmeter, G. (2013). EUCAST expert rules in antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 19(2), 141–160.

Leylabadlo, H. E., Kafil, H. S., Yousefi, M., Aghazadeh, M., & Asgharzadeh, M. (2016). Persistent infection with metallo-beta-lactamase and extended spectrum β-lactamase producer Morganella morganii in a patient with urinary tract infection after kidney transplantation. Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine, 7(2), 179–181.

Liu, H., Zhu, J., Hu, Q., & Rao, X. (2016). Morganella morganii, a non-negligent opportunistic pathogen. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 50, 10–17.

Magiorakos, A. P., Srinivasan, A., Carey, R. B., Carmeli, Y., Falagas, M. E., Giske, C. G., Harbarth, S., Hindler, J. F., Kahlmeter, G., Olsson-Liljequist, B., Paterson, D. L., Rice, L. B., Stelling, J., Struelens, M. J., Vatopoulos, A., Weber, J. T., & Monnet, D. L. (2012). Multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and pandrug-resistant bacteria: An international expert proposal for interim standard definitions for acquired resistance. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 18(3), 268–281.

Mahrouki, S., Bourouis, A., Chihi, H., Ouertani, R., Ferjani, M., Moussa, M. B., Barguellil, F., & Belhadj, O. (2012). First characterisation of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance-qnrS1 co-expressed bla CTX-M-15 and bla DHA-1 genes in clinical strain of Morganella morganii recovered from a Tunisian Intensive Care Unit. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 30(4), 437–441.

Omoyibo, E. E., Oladele, A. O., Ibrahim, M. H., & Adekunle, O. T. (2018). Antibiotic susceptibility of wound swab isolates in a tertiary hospital in Southwest Nigeria. Annals of African Medicine, 17(3), 110–116.

Picard, B., Garcia, J. S., Gouriou, S., Duriez, P., Brahimi, N., Bingen, E., Elion, J., & Denamur, E. (1999). The link between phylogeny and virulence in Escherichia coli extraintestinal infection. Infection and Immunity, 67(2), 546–553.

Razzak, M. S. A., & Al-Sabari, A. H. (2011). Molecular investigation of phylogeny groups of Morganella morganii isolated from catheter associated UTI. Medical Journal of Babylon, 8(3), 428–434.

Seija, V., Medina Presentado, J. C., Bado, I., Papa Ezdra, R., Batista, N., Gutierrez, C., Guirado, M., Vidal, M., Nin, M., & Vignoli, R. (2015). Sepsis caused by New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (blaNDM-1) and qnrD-producing Morganella morganii, treated successfully with fosfomycin and meropenem: Case report and literature review. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 30, 20–26.

Shah, A. A., Hasan, F., Ahmed, S., & Hameed, A. (2004). Characteristics, epidemiology and clinical importance of emerging strains of Gram-negative bacilli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. Research in Microbiology, 155(6), 409–421.

Sobhi, R. M., & Faisal, R. M. (2024). Genetic characterization of a novel biphenyl degradation pathway in Extensimonas perlucida RM1 isolated from agricultural soil in Mosul city. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology, 20(6), 229–233.

Younis, R. M., & Faisal, R. M. (2024). Effect of antibiotics on the expression of pyocyanin synthetic genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from different clinical sources of a few hospitals in Mosul, Iraq. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 16(2), 812–819.

Zameer, M., Tahir, U., Khalid, S., Zahra, N., Sarwar, A., Aziz, T., Saidal, A., Alhomrani, M., S Alamri, A., Dablool, A. S., Sameeh, M. Y., Mohamed, A. A., & Alharbi, A. (2023). Isolation and characterization of indigenous bacterial assemblage for biodegradation of persistent herbicides in the soil. Acta Biochimica Polonica, 70(2), 325–334.

Zaric, R. Z., Jankovic, S., Zaric, M., Milosavljevic, M., Stojadinovic, M., & Pejcic, A. (2021). Antimicrobial treatment of Morganella morganii invasive infections: Systematic review. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 39(4), 404–412.