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Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
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Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes

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[Study of phenotypical and antimicrobial susceptibility markers in enteric Escherichia coli strains]

Adalberto Aguila1, Robert Bernedo, Alina Llop

  • 1Instituto De Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. adalberto@ipk.sld.cu

Revista Cubana De Medicina Tropical
|February 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed Escherichia coli strains from children with diarrhea, identifying potential Shiga toxin-producing bacteria. Most strains showed resistance to common antibiotics like ampicillin.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriology
  • Infectious Diseases

Context:

  • Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a common cause of bacterial infections, particularly in young children.
  • Acute diarrhea in children under 5 years is a significant public health concern globally.
  • Identifying specific pathogenic E. coli strains is crucial for effective treatment and public health interventions.

Purpose:

  • To analyze phenotypic determinants of Escherichia coli strains isolated from children with acute diarrhea.
  • To identify Shiga toxin-producing or enterohemorrhagic E. coli strains.
  • To characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of these E. coli isolates.

Summary:

  • Forty E. coli strains from children under 5 with acute diarrhea were analyzed using phenotypic tests (sorbose, sorbitol, enterohemolysin, O157:H7 serology).
  • Six strains showed presumptive characteristics, with four identified as likely Shiga toxin-producing.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with 10 out of 12 resistance patterns being multi-drug resistant.

Impact:

  • The findings highlight the prevalence of potentially pathogenic E. coli strains in pediatric diarrhea cases.
  • High antimicrobial resistance rates underscore the need for judicious antibiotic use and surveillance.
  • This research contributes to understanding the epidemiology and resistance profiles of E. coli in a specific geographic region.

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