Abstract
Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Gram-negative bacteria represent the main causative agents and contribute significantly to the clinical burden of UTIs. Molecular typing methods are increasingly used to explore genetic diversity among bacterial isolates and to support preliminary epidemiological investigations, particularly in settings with limited access to high-resolution genomic tools. Objective: This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of Gram-negative bacterial isolates recovered from patients with urinary tract infections at Samarra Hospital using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) technique during the period from April to August 2024. Methods: A descriptive laboratory-based study was conducted on eighteen Gram-negative bacterial isolates obtained from urine samples of UTI patients. All isolates were subjected to RAPD-PCR analysis, and banding patterns were evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis to identify distinct genetic profiles. Results: RAPD-PCR amplification was successfully obtained in sixteen of the eighteen analyzed isolates. Analysis of banding patterns revealed three distinct RAPD profiles, designated as patterns A, B, and C, indicating detectable genetic heterogeneity among the isolates. The observed patterns reflected the coexistence of genetically diverse profiles within the studied clinical setting. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the presence of genetic diversity among Gram-negative uropathogenic isolates at Samarra Hospital. RAPD-PCR proved to be a practical and exploratory molecular typing tool for the preliminary assessment of genetic variability in a resource-limited context. Further studies using larger sample sizes and higher-resolution molecular techniques are recommended to clarify the clinical and epidemiological significance of the observed genetic diversity.