Background: Proteus mirabilis is a facultative anaerobe in the family Enterobacteriaceae and a frequent cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) owing to swarming motility, biofilm formation, and urease activity. This study aimed to detect the ureC gene among catheterized patients admitted to hospitals in Kirkuk.
Methods: A total of 235 urine specimens were collected from catheterized patients at three hospitals in Kirkuk Province (Al-Amal Center, Artificial Kidney Unit at Kirkuk Teaching Hospital, and Azadi Teaching Hospital) from March through July 2024. Isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests with automated confirmation (VITEK 2/DL- 120). Antimicrobial susceptibility of P. mirabilis isolates was assessed by the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Detection of ureC was performed by PCR.
Result: Of 235 samples, 56 (23.8%) yielded P. mirabilis. Urease activity on urea agar was observed in 52/56 isolates (92.9%), and PCR confirmed the presence of ureC in 52/56 (92.9%). Among 16 tested antimicrobials, resistance was 100% to ceftazidime, ampicillin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, whereas meropenem showed the lowest resistance (3.6%).
Conclusion: Proteus mirabilis was frequently isolated from catheterized patients in Kirkuk and exhibited a high prevalence of urease positivity with concordant ureC detection. PCR-based identification of ureC complements phenotypic urease testing and represents a practical marker of virulence potential and diagnostic value in CAUTI surveillance.