Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Drinking Water Samples From a Forcibly Displaced, Densely Populated Community Setting in Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: Community-acquired infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli are rising worldwide, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, especially where poor sanitation and inadequate hygienic practices are very common. Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and characterization of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and ESBL-producing E. coli in drinking water samples collected from Rohingya camps, Bangladesh. Methods: A total of 384 E. coli isolates were analyzed in this study, of which 203 were from household or point-of-use (POU) water samples, and 181 were from source water samples. The isolates were tested for virulence genes, ESBL-producing genes, antimicrobial susceptibility by VITEK 2 assay, plasmid profiling, and conjugal transfer of AMR genes. Results: Of the 384 E. coli isolates tested, 17% (66/384) were found to be ESBL producers. The abundance of ESBL-producers in source water contaminated with E. coli was observed to be 14% (27/181), whereas, 19% (39/203) ESBL producers was found in household POU water samples contaminated with E. coli. We detected 71% (47/66) ESBL-E. coli to be MDR. Among these 47 MDR isolates, 20 were resistant to three classes, and 27 were resistant to four different classes of antibiotics. Sixty-four percent (42/66) of the ESBL producing E. coli carried 1 to 7 plasmids ranging from 1 to 103 MDa. Only large plasmids with antibiotic resistance properties were found transferrable via conjugation. Moreover, around 7% (29/384) of E. coli isolates harbored at least one of 10 virulence factors belonging to different E. coli pathotypes. Mahmud et al. ESBL-Producing E. coli in Drinking Water Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the drinking water samples analyzed herein could serve as an important source for exposure and dissemination of MDR, ESBL-producing and pathogenic E. coli lineages, which therewith pose a health risk to the displaced Rohingya people residing in the densely populated camps of Bangladesh.

High Prevalence of Drug Resistance and Class 1 Integrons in Escherichia coli Isolated From River Yamuna, India: A Serious Public Health Risk

“…The presence of qnr S1 did not correlate with fluoroquinolone resistance, except in E. coli strain NG35. This suggests that the presence of the qnr S gene alone might not be a true indicator of fluoroquinolone resistance and the isolate despite that the presence of qnr S might exhibit phenotypic susceptibility for fluoroquinolones ( Mahmud et al, 2020 ).…”

Characterization of Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Isolated From Fish Aquaculture of the Southwest Coastal Area of Bangladesh

“…Extraction of chromosomal DNA was done using the boil DNA extraction method according to the procedure reported by Mahmud et al (2020) . Presumptively identified isolates were further confirmed by simplex PCR for the tlh gene, a species-specific gene for V. parahaemolyticus ( Taniguchi et al, 1986 ; Bej et al, 1999 ; McCarthy et al, 1999 ; Jones et al, 2012 ), and the presence of 12 virulent genes was also examined.…”

Urban river pollution in Bangladesh during last 40 years: potential public health and ecological risk, present policy, and future prospects toward smart water management

“…These metals comes into human body through the consumption of these foods and causes toxic effects ( Table 4 ) [ 202 , 226 , 230 ]. Besides that, presence of harmful microorganisms in surface water causes serious health hazards [ 231 , 232 ]. Cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, fever, dengue, viral hepatitis, gastroenteritis etc.…”