Molecular characterization of head and neck infection causing bacterial communities using 16S rRNA in eastern Indian population

Head and neck infections (HNI) are dangerous illnesses caused by a variety of bacterial species. The absence of enough surveillance as well as information regarding the bacteria prevalence in the infected area and the use of excessive antibiotics leads to multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that cause serious health hazards. Thus, in the present study, a surveillance program was carried out in an eastern state of India, known as Odisha to decipher the pool of bacterial genus prevalence and their relationship with related species. The positive clinical specimens obtained through preliminary screening by Vitek 2 were further characterized by utilizing the 16S rRNA gene followed by population genetic and phylogenetic analysis. The investigation resulted four bacterial species, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to population genetic factors, the haplotype (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) ranged from 0.558 to 0.828 and 0.03236 to 0.28428. The phylogeny analysis revealed that the present isolates were closely related to Chinese isolates. The prevalence of these pathogens within the eastern part of India and its transboundary potential revealed through phylogenetic analysis need further in-depth research to obtain a better therapeutic approach. •Head and neck infections (HNI) mostly disseminate from otitis, dental, pharyngeal, or sino-nasal region.•Complex HNIs associated with multidrug-resistant bacteria drive threat to life.•Molecular diagnosis can pool the bacterial prevalence from infection sites.•Population genetic parameters draw the evolutionary and transboundary pattern with phylogenetic analysis.