Comparison of bax, ibpAB and cspH Genes in Escherichia coli Isolates From Urine and Fecal Samples

Background and Aim: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia (E.) coli presents challenges in its clinical management. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence and relative expression levels of bax, ibpA, ibpB, and cspH genes in E. coli isolates obtained from urine and fecal samples of patients diagnosed with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional investigation, ۵۰ E. coli isolates (۲۵ urinary and ۲۵ fecal) were collected from patients diagnosed with UTI in Sanandaj, Iran. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Biofilm-forming capacity was quantified using microtiter plate assay. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) was performed to determine gene expression levels of target genes. Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of urinary isolates revealed maximal sensitivity to nitrofurantoin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin, while the highest resistance rates were observed for amoxicillin, nalidixic acid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In fecal isolates, the greatest sensitivity was recorded for nitrofurantoin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin. The genomic prevalence of the bax, ibpA, ibpB, and cspH genes in urinary isolates was ۱۰۰%. In fecal isolates, ibpA was ubiquitous (۱۰۰%), while bax, ibpB, and cspH were detected in ۹۶% of the strains. Analysis of relative expression levels showed that the expression of all ۴ genes was significantly higher in urinary isolates compared to fecal isolates. No significant difference was observed in biofilm formation capacity between two groups (P>۰.۰۵). Conclusion: This investigation identifies a significant differential expression of bax, ibpA, ibpB, and cspH genes between fecal and urinary E. coli isolates, whereas biofilm-forming capacity remained consistent across sources.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antibiotic Resistance ، bax ، cspH ، Escherichia coli ، IbpA ، IbpB ، PCR ، Urinary Tract Infection