Antibiotic Resistance and Integron Distribution in Escherichia coli Isolated from Urine Samples

Background: Antimicrobial resistance among uropathogenic Escherichia coli represents a growing global health concern and is largely driven by the dissemination of resistance genes through mobile genetic elements such as integrons. This study aimed to investigate antimicrobial resistance patterns and determine the prevalence of class ۱ and class ۲ integrons among E. coli isolates recovered from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs).Materials & Methods: A total of ۱۰۰ non-duplicate E. coli isolates were obtained from urine samples collected from hospitalized patients at Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Babylon, Iraq. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using standard methods, and the presence of intI۱ and intI۲ genes was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Findings: High resistance rates were observed to ampicillin (۷۵%), nalidixic acid (۶۹%), and co-trimoxazole (۵۲%), whereas gentamicin (۶۷%) and amikacin (۶۹%) showed the highest susceptibility rates. Multidrug resistance was detected in ۶۵% of the isolates. PCR analysis revealed that ۷۵% of isolates carried the intI۱ gene, while intI۲ was detected in ۵%. The presence of intI۱ was significantly associated with resistance to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and co-trimoxazole (P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusions: The high prevalence of integron-associated multidrug resistance among E. coli isolates underscores the need for continuous surveillance and strengthened antimicrobial stewardship programs to optimize the management of UTIs.

کلیدواژه ها:

integrons ، Escherichia coli ، Drug resistance ، Urinary tract infections