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Background and objective: The increase in the incidence of Beta-lactam resistance in Gram-negative bacteria has become a main clinical problem worldwide that limits therapeutic options. The production of extended-spectrum blactamases is the major source of resistance to newer beta-lactam antibiotics in Enterobacteriaceae. This study aimed to check the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing K. pneumoniae and E. coli and the evaluation of ESBL among those isolates.Methods: A total of 120 E. coli and K. pneumoniae clinical isolates were obtained from Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil City, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, during the first six months of 2016. All isolates were identified and checked for the production of ESBL using Vitek 2 automated system. The technique of PCR was performed for the detection of the presence of blaSHV gene from these isolates. The antibiotic resistant profiles for these isolates were also investigated.Results: The overall proportion of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates, 77 (76.2%) and 15 (78.9%) isolates were ESBL producers, respectively. ESBL-producing isolates were significantly more resistant than Non-ESBL-producers (P < 0.05). PCR performed on 30 ESBL positive isolates, 21(70%) isolates were of E. coli, and 9 (30%) isolates were of K.pneumoniae. The ESBL B-lactamase related SHV gene was detected only in 11 (36.6%) isolates, 6 (28.5 %) of E. coli and 5(55.5%) of K. pneumoniae isolates respectively. All isolates were susceptible to carbapenems.Conclusion: The great diversity of ESBL and the prevalences of clinical isolates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae producing these enzymes indicate that this is an important problem in our region. The most active antimicrobial agent against isolates used in this study was carbapenem. It is, therefore strongly recommended to consider carbapenems as the drug of choice for such multi-drug resistant ESBL-producing microorganisms.

ESBL --- blaSHV gene --- E. coli --- K. pneumoniae