Parvin Askari - Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Farzane Hakimi - Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Marzieh Moghanni - Faculty of Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Ahmad Reza Sebzari - Radiation Oncology, Clinical Research Development Unit (CRDU), ValiAsr Hospital, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Mohammad Hasan Namaei - e. Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences(BUMS), Birjand, Iran.

Backgrounds: This research aimed to estimate the prevalence of extended-spectrum b-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) in stool samples of patients with different types of cancer. Materials and Methods: Stool samples or deep rectal swabs were collected from cancer cases from January ۲۰۱۷ to December ۲۰۱۸. After species identification, in order to detect ESBL-PE, double-disk synergy test (DD test) was used. Disk diffusion procedure was conducted to determine the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobials. Lastly, antibiotic resistance genes including bla genes were characterized via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Findings: Among ۱۰۰ patients enrolled in this study, ۵۰ (۵۰%) were ESBL carriers. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent bacterium isolated (۸۵%). Genotyping of EBSL-PE encoding genes using PCR showed that the prevalence rates of blaCTX-M and blaCTX-M-۱۵ genes were ۹۴ (۴۷ of ۵۰) and ۹۰% (۴۵ of ۵۰), respectively, which were higher than those of blaTEM (۸۰%, ۴۰ of ۵۰) and blaSHV genes (۳۴%, ۱۷of ۵۰). There was no significant association between ESBL-PE fecal carriage and age (p= .۶۸), sex (p = .۴۹), time of diagnosis (p= .۲۱), antibiotic therapy for the past three months (p= .۷۷), and history of chemotherapy (p= .۴۹). Finally, it was determined that cancer type was an associated risk factor for ESBL-PE fecal carriage in cancer patients.  Conclusion: This research emphasizes regular bacterial monitoring, and that antibiotic stewardship plans ought to be performed among cancer patients to prohibit further spread of ESBL-PE with confined therapeutic options.

Enterobacteriaceae extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, Fecal carriage, Cancer patients, Iran