ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE FROM RESPIRATORY INFECTED SHEEP IN AL- ANBAR PROVINCE

This study was aimed to isolate and diagnose Klebsiella pneumoniae, which causes respiratory infections in sheep, and to study the genes present in Klebsiella pneumoniae responsible for taking iron from the host, involved collection 100 nasal cotton swabs from respiratory infected sheep from several fields located in Al- Anbar province. Identifying and isolating Klebsiella pneumoniae by using routine diagnostic techniques (Gram stain, culture on plate and biochemical tests) followed by using the Vitek2 system. Out of the 100 samples collected, the Vitek2 system's results showed 7 (7%) of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and other bacterial isolates were obtained. And to confirm of K. pneumonaie isolates using PCR (16S rRNA gene); the results showed positive for all Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates 7(100%) and molecular detection was done for some virulence genes of iron acquisition genes (siderophores synthesis genes entB gene, ybtS gene and iron uptake system Kfu gene), siderophore the results showed entB gene positive for 7(100%) isolates, and ybtS gene positive for 4(57%) isolates, and the result of kfu gene (Klebsiella ferric iron uptake) showed positive for 4(57%) isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility test for K. pneumoniae, which targeted 14 antibacterial drugs, the results showed that all 7 isolates (100%) were susceptible to both Imipenem and Meropenem. Moreover, the seven (100%) isolates shown resistance to Tetracycline, Pipracilline, and Cefixime. The study's conclusion is that respiratory tract infections were more common in one-year-old sheep than in older livestock. Additionally, K. pneumoniae showed greater susceptibility to Imipenem, Meropenem, Ciprofloxacin, and Trimethoprim than to other antibiotics.