Abstract:
Escherichia coli is the most common causative agent of recurrent, uncomplicated
urinary tract infections. Screening of antimicrobial resistance among urinary tract
pathogens is very crucial and useful for proper empirical treatment. The aim of this
study was to assess how resistance to antimicrobial agents relates to virulence
potential and phylogenetic background of clinical E. coli isolates in Lebanon. Triplex
PCR assays and the disc diffusion method were used to determine and correlate E.
coli phylogenetic group, three virulence-associated genes and antimicrobial resistance
among 100 uropathogens collected from two major hospitals in Lebanon. Group
132 represented 58% of the tested isolates, followed and in equal proportions by
group A and D, while none of tl1e isolates belonged to group 131. Isolates witl1
highest percentage of susceptibility to all used antimicrobial agents were within 132
phylogenetic group, whereas resistant isolates mainly exhibited shifts to non-B2
groups. The majority of the isolates resistant to SXT were from g1•0Up B2 (52.7°1<1)
and 45% of t11em were posi6ve for the three tested virulence determinant genes (eftt, fop and picU) encoded by the PAT IT CFf073. However, ciprofloxacin resistance
mainly occurred in t11e low-virulence E. coli group A (41.4%resistant). 'TI1ese
findings suggest that virulence and antimicrobial resistance are not always mutually
exclusive in E. coli clinical isolates. The relationship between virulence and antimicrobial varies according to the particular resistance phenotype.
