Investigation of interleukin 26 and procalcitonin serum levels as biomarker in patients with Acinetobacter baumanii chest infection

Kazem, Dalia Jwad; Jameel, Sanaa Khudhur

doi:10.21608/mid.2024.308346.2117

Investigation of interleukin 26 and procalcitonin serum levels as biomarker in patients with Acinetobacter baumanii chest infection

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology/ College of Medicine/ University of AL-Iraqia Baghdad, Iraq

² Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of AL-Iraqia, Baghdad, Iraq.

10.21608/mid.2024.308346.2117

Abstract

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii, a multidrug-resistant pathogen often found in hospitals, is particularly lethal in lower respiratory tract infections. Its ability to form biofilms on surfaces enhances antibiotic resistance, treatment failures, and mortality. Effective control of A. baumannii infections relies on neutrophil recruitment facilitated by interleukin-26. Procalcitonin is a robust biomarker that differentiates bacterial respiratory infections from nonbacterial ones. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 120 male and female patients with respiratory tract infections were admitted to the respiratory care units of Medical City/Martyr Gazi Al-Hariry Hospital, Private Nursing Home Hospital, and Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City between October 2023 and March 2024. Acinetobacter baumanni isolates were identified by biochemical testes then confirmed the bacterial isolates diagnosis and performed the antimicrobial susceptibility test by using VITEC 2 system according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Biofilm growth was identified using microtiter plates. Interleukin-26 and procalcitonin levels were quantified through ELISA testing in serum. Results: The study revealed that patients in the case group with Acinetobacter chest infection had significantly higher levels of Interleukin-26 and Procalcitonin compared to the control group (31.45 ±8.49 vs. 15.65±1.88; 1125.48 ± 314.79 vs. 494.52±53.82) (P=0.0001). There was a substantial positive association between IL-26 levels and white blood cell count in female patients (r = 0.652, p < 0.001), and between PCT levels and WBC count in male patients. Conclusions: Interleukin 26 and procalcitonin demonstrated high diagnostic performance for Acinetobacter baumannii with sensitivities of 90.6% and 88.6%, specificities of 96.1% and 91.8%, and accuracies of 93.6% and 88.4%.

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