Frequency and Antibiotic Resistance of Hybrid Entroaggregative/Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients Hospitalized in Isfahan, Iran

This study aimed to analyse hybrid Entroaggregative/Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (EAEC/UPEC) isolates. To do so, the antibiotic resistance pattern and virulence genes were investigated in E. coli strains isolated from clinical specimens of patients hospitalized in Isfahan, Iran.

Disc diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of EAEC/UPEC isolates. Also, virulence determinants of these isolates were determinated by singleplex and multiplex PCR.

Overall, a total of 148 E. coli isolates were collected, of which 12 (8.1%) isolates were hybrid EAEC/UPEC strains, then antibiotic susceptibility examination was operated on these strains. The higest antibiotic resistance rate was related to ofloxacin (42%), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (41%), ceftriaxone and cefepime (33%), and cefoxitin (17%). All the isolates showed susceptibility to fosfomycin.

According to the current study, since resistance to fluoroquinolones has increased in hybrid strains, monitoring the drug susceptibility of hybrid strains seems critical in Iran. Fosfomycin is considered to be the drug of choise for infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Fortunately, 100% of the strains were sensitive to fosfomycin.