A Three-Year Look at the Phylogenetic Profile, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Associated Virulence Genes of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections, resulting in about 150 million reported annual cases. With multidrug resistance on the rise and the need for global and region surveillance, this investigation looks at the UPEC isolates collected for a 3-year period, with a view of ascertaining their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and associated virulence determinants. The identification of bacteria isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) production was determined with a Vitek 2 Compact Automated System (BioMerieux, Marcy L'Etoile, France). ESBLs were confirmed by the combined disc test (CDT) and basic biochemical test. The isolates were distributed into A (11%), B1 (6%), B2 (62.4%), and D (20.6%). Resistance to the penicillin group was high, between 88% and 100%. Additionally, resistance was high to cephalosporins (100%) in 2017 and 2018. The isolates were all sensitive to tigecycline, while resistance against imipenem and meropenem was low, at 4-12% in 2017 and 2018 and 0% in 2019. The results also showed that ESBL isolates were seen in 2017 and 2018. They were confirmed positive to CTX/CLA (88.5%) and CAZ/CLA (85%). By 2019, the number of resistant isolates reduced, showing only 4% ESBL isolates. Two virulence genes, fimH (46%) and papE/F (15%), were detected among the isolates by PCR. In conclusion, this study found that phylogroups B2 and D carried the most virulence genes as well as MDR and ESBL characteristics, suggesting the UPEC strains to be extraintestinal pathogens responsible for UTIs.