Abstract:
BACKGROUND፡ The marked genome plasticity of diarrheagenic
Escherichia coli promotes emergence of pathotypes displaying
unique phenotypic and genotypic resistance. This study examined
phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistant diarrheagenic
Escherichia coli pathotypes among children in Nairobi City,
Kenya.
METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, diarrheagenic
Escherichia coli pathotypes were isolated from stool samples and
their phenotypic and genotypic resistance against eight
antimicrobial agents assayed.
RESULTS: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli was detected in
136(36.4%) children. Most of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli that
were resistant to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, streptomycin,
gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and
tetracycline, harbored citm, bla CMY, aadA1, aac(3)-IV, qnr,
catA, ere(A) and tet(A) corresponding resistant genes.
CONCLUSION: Antimicrobial-resistant genes are highly
prevalent among phenotypic resistant ETEC pathotypes
indicating a possibility of horizontal gene transfer in spreading
antibiotic resistant genes among E. coli pathotypes.
