Antimicrobial Resistance and Fimbrial Virulence Genes of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Iran

Background and Aim : Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections with global expansion. These infections are predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichiacoli (UPEC).The present investigation was performed to study the fimbrial virulence factors and Antimicrobial Resistance of UPEC isolated from Iranian patients.Methods : This cross sectional investigation was performed on ۲۱۰ urine samples collected from hospitalized patients in Boroujerd, Sanandaj and Tehran hospitals, Iran. A totally ۱۵۰ UPEC isolates were subjected to detect antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial fimbrial virulence factors. Also, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to the instruction of Clinical Laboratory and Standard Institute.Results : We found that ۲۶% of males and ۷۴% of females had positive results for Escherichiacoli. High resistance levels to tetracycline (۶۸%),sulfonamide (۶۰%) and trimethoprim (۵۸%) were also observed. ۷.۳۳% of tested strains were resistant to ۸ antibiotics. The incidence of genes encoding resistance against aminoglycosides (aadA۱ and aac(۳)-IV), sulfonamide (sul۱), beta-lactams (blaSHVand CITM), tetracycline (tetAand tetB), trimethoprim (dfrA۱), chlor amphenicol (cat۱ and cmlA) and quinolones (qnr) were (۸%,۵.۳۳%), ۴۴.۶۶%, (۴۲.۶۶%, ۸%), (۵۸.۶۶%, ۵۵.۳۳%), ۴۸.۶۶%, (۸%, ۳.۳۳%)and ۳۰%, respectively. The most commonly detected fimbrial virulence factors were fim(۹۶.۶۶%), pap(۹۳.۳۳%), papGII(۴۲.۶۶%) and papGIII(۳۴%).Conclusion : Resistant strains of uropathogenic E. coli had the high incidence of uropathogenic fimbrial virulence factors. In the current situation, it seems that the administration of tetracycline, sulfonamide and trimethoprim for the treatment of UTIs is vain.

Keywords:

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli , Fimbrial Virulence Factors. Antimicrobial Resistance