Occurrence of Biofilm Formation in Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. Isolates among Urinary Catheterized Patients

Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. are gram negative bacteria belonging Enterobactericeae, which were considered opportunistic pathogens and resulted in a great number of cases of nosocomial infections with serious problems of multi-drug resistance, leading to increasing morbidity and mortality rate. Recently, they were recorded as biofilm producers. There were only a few studies about the capability of these bacteria of forming biofilm. So our aim was evaluate the occurrence of Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. biofilm former phenotypically and genetically with the determination of their abilities to multi-drug resistance. Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. isolated from urine catheterized patients who were hospitalized in Iraqi hospitals. They were then examined for detection of biofilm formation phenotypically by congo red and tissue culture plate methods and genetically by detecting SmaI and EsaI genes (quarm sensing genes) in Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. respectively by using polymerase chain reaction method and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by disc diffusion and VITEK2 system according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Serratia fonticola at 3 and Pantoea sp. at 4 isolates revealed to possess the ability of forming biofilm which contained SmaI and EsaI genes with 100% resistance to most tested antibiotics except imipenem and azithromycin. SmaI and EsaI genes are present in Serratia fonticola and Pantoea sp. respectively, and are responsible for biofilm formation and considered as indicator; biofilm formation is a strong cause of multidrug resistance in bacteria.