MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF CLINICAL MICROBES IN THALASSEMIA PATIENTS USING 16S rRNA GENE SEQUENCING

Bacteria that are not identified by utilizing automated and manual systems can be identified precisely using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It can also be used to characterize previously undescribed species. In the present study, the experiment entailed 16S rRNA sequencing of bacteria isolated from thalassemia patients in Erbil, Iraq. Samples were obtained from thalassemia patients from different sources. The bacteria were first identified by biochemical and Vitek method, and finally, the 16S rRNA of 78 clinical bacteria were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The results of the sequencing methods performed on the clinical bacteria identified the isolates as 5 genera and 7 species: E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, M. morganii, E. fergusonii, and Pantoea sp. The results show that the most common causative organism was E. coli, and the most common site of infection was found to be the urinary tract. The results demonstrated the significance of 16S rRNA sequencing in accurate identification bacteria and understanding the bacterial diversity. Given the advantages of 16S rRNA sequencing method including cost-effectiveness, availability, and convenience, and it would be worthwhile to integrate it into clinical practice in developing countries.