Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy in Escherichia coli Isolates from Hospital Settings

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESEscherichia coli (E. coli) as a gut commensal bacteria, is a common candidate for most gram- negative infections of humans. Unplanned administration of antibiotics to control or treat E. coli infection leads to the activation of microbial resistance mechanisms and insufficient effect of therapeutic antibiotics. This epidemiological study was conducted to investigate the sensitivity of a wide range of antibiotics against E. coli isolates from Tabriz, Iran.MATERIALS AND METHODSFrom July ۲۰۱۹ to June ۲۰۲۰, ۲۱۹ samples of urine, blood, wound, respiratory tract, and peritonea were collected from different hospital wards such as surgery, internal, intensive care unit, and pediatrics. E. coli isolates were obtained by culture on sheep blood agar and MacConkey agar and microbial detection tests. To determine the antibiotic sensitivity or resistance of the isolates, disk diffusion agar and minimum inhibitory concentration tests were selected.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONE. coli isolates were the most resistant to ampicillin (۹۹%) and the least resistant to imipenem and fosfomycin (۳%). The trend of the highest antibiotic resistance continued with sulfamethoxazole (۸۷%) and trimethoprim (۷۸%). The resistance of E. coli isolates to the combination of these two antibiotics in the form of co-trimoxazole was also a high percentage (۷۰%). The isolates from the internal and then surgical wards were high resistance. There was no significant correlation between age or gender and resistance of E. coli isolates.CONCLUSIONThis study indicated that E. coli has become a potential pathogen in Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran. E.coli isolates were remarkably resistant to a large number of antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance prevalence was associated with hospital wards. If consumed wisely, fosfomycin is the current appropriate choice for controlling E. coli infection.

کلیدواژه ها:

Escherichia coli ، Drug Resistance ، Antibiotics ، Tabriz ، Iran