Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii
is a significant pathogen in health care settings. In recent years, an increase in carbapenem resistance among
A. baumannii due to Ambler class B metallo-beta-lactamases or class D OXA carbapenamases has been reported. In this study we detected the presence of OXA carbapenamases and coproduction of metallo-beta-lactamases (
blaVIM and
blaIMP ) by phenotypic and genotypic methods in carbapenem resistant clinical isolates of
Acinetobacter baumannii. Materials and Methods: A total of 116 consecutive, non-duplicate carbapenem resistant
A. baumannii isolated from various clinical specimens were included in the study. The modified Hodge test and inhibitor potentiated disk diffusion tests were done for the screening of carbapenamase and metallo-beta-lactamase production, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the detection of OXA (
blaOXA 23 like,
blaOXA 24 like,
blaOXA-51 like and
blaOXA-58 like genes) and metallo-beta-lactamases (
blaVIM and
blaIMP ) genes. Gene sequencing was performed for representative isolates.
Results: Among 116
A. baumannii, OXA genes were detected in 106 isolates.
BlaOXA 51 like (
n = 99) and
blaOXA -23 like (
n = 95) were the most common and they coexisted in 89 isolates.
blaOXA-24 like gene was detected in two isolates of which one also carried
blaOXA-51 like and
blaOXA-58 like genes. The modified Hodge test was positive in 113 isolates. The metallo-beta-lactamase screening test was positive in 92 isolates.
blavim was detected in 54 isolates of which 1 also carried the
blaIMP gene.
Conclusions: blaOXA-23 like and
bla OXA 51 like genes are the most common types of OXA carbapenamases while the
blaVIM type is the most common type of metallo-beta-lactamase contributing to carbapenem resistance in clinical isolates of
A. baumannii. The coproduction of OXA and metallo-beta-lactamases is not an uncommon phenomenon in
A. baumannii. 
