Distribution of some antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in E coli from aquatic environment and clinical isolates

A total of 80 clinical and environmental samples included 40 waste water samples and 40 stool samples from hospitalized patients. 50 isolates were diagnosed as E. coli. Four virulence genes (Cnfl, Hly, Kpsm and FyuA) were tested which showed 0%, 12%, 24% and 88% respectively for clinical samples and 0%, 0%, 20% and 52% respectively for environmental samples. Six antibiotics resistance genes were detected (TEM, SHV, CTXM1, CTXM2, Oxa and Mox1), their percentages were 24%, 40%, 92%, 68%, 24% and 48% respectively for clinical samples and 16%, 0%, 4%, 100%, 8% and 64% respectively for environmental samples. 16 antibiotics were tested against isolates. Results showed different percentages of resistance to antibiotics as follows: for clinical samples, the highest level of resistance was for tetracycline (100%), imipenem (100%), followed by ampicillin (84%), amoxicillin /clavulanate (80%), cefotaxime (80%), ceftazidime (72%), (68%) for: cefepime, nalidixic acid, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. ceftriaxone (64%), aztreonam (52%), (36%) for: amikacin, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin. All isolates were susceptible to nitrofurantoin (0%). For environmental samples, the results showed 44% for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline (36%), (32%) for: ampicillin and amoxicillin /clavulanate, (16%) for nalidixic acid, cefotaxime and ceftazidime, (12%) for cefepime, ceftriaxone and aztreonam, (8%) for ciprofloxacin, imipenem and amikacin, nitrofurantoin (4%). All isolates were susceptible to cefoxitin and gentamycin (0%). The presence of this highly virulent and MDR isolates urged us to work seriously to control the spread of antibiotics.