Phenotypic and Molecular Detection of Resistance Genes from Multi-drug Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients Attending Selected Hospitals in Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Multidrug resistance among Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) and diarrhea are major public health problem worldwide which cause difficulty in treating the infections caused by Escherichia coli due to the high resistances. The study is aimed to determine the phenotypic and molecular detection of multidrug resistant E. coli isolated from clinical samples of patients attending selected Hospitals in Damaturu, Yobe State-Nigeria. Methods: Two hundred (200) clinical samples were collected aseptically from patient diagnosed with (100 stool samples) and UTI’s (100 urine samples) using sterile universal container. The samples were processed using standard microbiological methods for identification of E. coli. Samples were cultured on MacConkey agar (stool) and Cystine lactose electrolyte deficient agar (urine). The resulting colonies of isolates were further subculture on Eosin methylene blue agar for confirmatory and followed by gram stain, biochemical identification at Microbiology laboratory unit of Yobe State Specialist and Yobe State Teaching Hospital respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion techniques and the phenotypic expression of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were determined using modified double disc synergy test (MDDST) and also the three (3) resistance genes (blaTEM, accC1 and qnrA) were detected using polymerase chain reaction. Results: One hundred and twenty-two (122) isolates were resistant to antibiotics. The highest level of resistance was against amoxicillin (90.2%) while the least resistance was against sparfloxacin (24.3%). Thirty-seven (37) E. coli isolates shows MDR; the highest MDR was (24.3%) while least MDR was (5.4%). The PCR amplification of resistant genes (blaTEM, accC1 and qnrA) were detected on E. coli that shows positive ESBL and the bands were separated using agarose gel electrophoresis. Conclusion: The findings of this study show augmentin, ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin are the most effective antibiotics against E. coli isolated from patients attending the two hospitals in Damaturu; who are diagnose with UTI and diarrheic infection. The resistant genes include; blaTEM, accC1 and qnrA coding for beta-lactam, aminoglycoside and quinolones were present in E. coli isolated from patients attending selected Hospitals in Yobe State, Nigeria. Keywords: Multidrug resistant, Escherichia coli, extended spectrum beta lactamase, resistance-associated genes, urinary tract infections, diarrheic.