THE PREVALENCE AND VIRULENCE DETERMINANTS OF Proteus mirabilis IN PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING SELECTED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRES IN NASARAWA SOUTH, NIGERIA

Authors

  • O. G. Uyi
    Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Lafia
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • T. L. Garzak
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
  • D. D. Odonye
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
  • P. U. Upla
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
  • L. O. Uyi
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
  • G. A. Obande
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
  • A. Chuku
    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, PMB 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

Keywords:

Proteus mirabilis, Virulence, Resistant genes, Prevalence

Abstract

Proteus mirabilis is an important clinically uropathogenic bacterium responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnant women, which can lead to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. UTIs represent a recurring clinical challenge due to escalating pathogen resistance; Proteus exhibits high resistance when present in UTIs. The prevalence, antimicrobial resistance profile and virulence factors of P. mirabilis isolates from pregnant women in selected primary healthcare centres in Nasarawa South, Nigeria were studied. A total of 180 midstream urine samples were obtained and examined by standard microbiological and biochemical methods, molecular confirmation and antibiotic resistance profiling. The results demonstrated that the infection is high at PHC Lafia East, with a prevalence of   18.33%, identifying the centre as an area of high prevalence of Proteus-associated UTI in pregnancy, compared to MPHC Kadarko, where the prevalence was 6.66%, and MCWC1 Obi, where the prevalence was 3.33% in the study. P. mirabilis exhibited high resistance to nearly all drug classes, including penicillin, aminoglycosides, quinolones, and cephalosporins, with quinolones (ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin) effective against a few isolates. Molecular analysis revealed that various resistance genes were found, of which the most common ones were qnrD, qnrS and aac(6’)-1b, suggesting a high pathogenic potential. The high prevalence of multidrug resistance in patients, which significantly contributes to treatment failure, highlights the need for ongoing monitoring, antibiotic stewardship initiatives and public health measures focused on pregnant people. These findings contribute to the epidemiology of P. mirabilis in pregnancy and provide a basis for targeted treatment and prevention strategies.

Dimensions

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Published

2026-10-30

How to Cite

THE PREVALENCE AND VIRULENCE DETERMINANTS OF Proteus mirabilis IN PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING SELECTED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRES IN NASARAWA SOUTH, NIGERIA. (2026). THE INCUBATOR: Journal of Postgraduate Studies, FULafia, 1(1), 38. https://journals.fulafia.org.ng/index.php/incubator/article/view/38

Issue

Volume 1, Issue 1, January-June 2026

Section

STEM SECTION
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2026 O. G. Uyi, T. L. Garzak, D. D. Odonye, P. U. Upla, L. O. Uyi, G. A. Obande, A. Chuku (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

THE PREVALENCE AND VIRULENCE DETERMINANTS OF Proteus mirabilis IN PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING SELECTED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRES IN NASARAWA SOUTH, NIGERIA. (2026). THE INCUBATOR: Journal of Postgraduate Studies, FULafia, 1(1), 38. https://journals.fulafia.org.ng/index.php/incubator/article/view/38

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