Paper Title
Detection of Plasmid– Mediated OqxA and OqxB Genes in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter baumanii Taken from Iraqi Pneumonic Patients

Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer plays a fundamental role in getting new traits like antibiotic resistance which is associated with dramatic increase in infection incidence, patients' morbidity and mortality rates. The present study investigated the possible role of plasmid- mediated multiple drug resistance trait via OqxA and OqxB in Acinetobacter baumannii. The study included 48 VITEK- identified MDR A. baumannii isolates taken from pneumonic Iraqi patients. Each isolate was examined to the presence of plasmid(s) using 0.7% agaros gel electrophoresis. Positive isolates were subjected for genetic detection of plasmid-located efflux genes, OqxA and OqxB using polymerase chain reaction technique. Results revealed the presence of mega-plasmid in all the studied isolates. Results also showed that 45.8% of isolates were positive for OqxA gene, 12.5% were positive for OqxB gene, and 12.5% of isolates were positive for both genes. On the other hand, 29.1% detected to be negative for both genes. Those results refer to the significant role of horizontal gene transfer represented by plasmid in acquisition of multiple drug resistance trait in MDR- A.baumannii. To the far of our knowledge, it is for the first time to detect plasmid-mediated OqxA and OqxB genes in MDR A. baumannii, where, OqxA gene looks to be superior to OqxB in exhibiting multiple drug resistance in A. baumannii. Keywords - MDR A. baumannii, mega-plasmid, plasmid-mediated OqxA, plasmidmediated OqxB.