Distribution of virulence genes and multiple drug-resistant patterns amongst different phylogenetic groups of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients with urinary tract infection.

A total of 85 Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolates were screened against ceftiofur, oxacillin, nitrofurantoin and lincospectin using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, following CLSI guidelines. Prevalence of virulent factor genes amongst the isolates was determined by PCR, using gene-specific primers against the different virulent factors. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software. The prevalence of traT, ompT, Iss, malX and ibeA genes was 47.1%, 38.8%, 20%, 16.5% and 9.4%, respectively. The most prevalent gene in group A and D was traT, whilst in group B2 was Iss. The highest resistance has been shown against oxacillin (98.8%), followed by ceftiofur (77.6%), whilst resistance to lincospectin (2.4%) and nitrofurantoin (12.9%) had the lowest frequencies. Multidrug resistance was shown in 82.35% of the isolates, whilst this study recommend lincospectin and nitrofurantoin as choice drugs for treatment, but more investigation of the bacterial pathogenicity associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) may contribute to a better medical intervention.