THE ROLE OF HAEMOLYSIN IN PATHOGENESIS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND S. HAEMOLYTICUS CAUSING URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT WOMEN

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections afflicting women. Hemolysins or haemolysins was a potential virulence factor produced by microorganism (M.O). Aims: To identify gram positive bacterial species isolated from urinary tract infections, and also to evaluate in-vitro the antimicrobial activity of antibiotic and biofilm production and hemolysin gene detection. Methods: A total 200 urine specimens were collected from patients with UTIs, that include pregnant (n=100, 50%), non- pregnant (n=100, 50%), bacterial colonies were Gram stained and microscopically examined. Biochemical tests were done to identify pathogen species. The microtitre plate method (MTP) was used to detect biofilm formation by bacteria and Detection of some virulence genes of bacterial isolates by PCR. Results: The result of identification revealed that the number of patients with significant bacteriuria among 200 urine specimens with positive culture was 60% and the Gram positive bacteria (50.83%), S. aureus (12.5%), S. haemolyticus (8.3%), and S. epidermidis (12.5%). In S. aureus, the percentage of isolates produces strong biofilm (86.7%). In S. haemolyticus, the strong biofilm was 80%. Diagnosis using PCR of 16S rRNA of isolates was 100% positive for all isolates. For S. haemolyticus, Hly-A was 80% and Hly-B was 0%. The virulence factor in S. aureus was Hly-A (100.0%) for all bacteria, while the Hly-B was 53.3%. Conclusion: The most isolates were resistant to colistin Nalidixic acid and Azithromycin, This investigation showed Hly-A and Hly-B are a gene found in bacterial cells that allows them to be resistant to antibiotics.