Open Access
Research (Published online: 01-10-2020)
9. The frequency of virulent genes and antimicrobial resistance patterns of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolated from stools of children presenting with diarrhea in a tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, Nigeria
Ebuka Elijah David, Muhammad Arfat Yameen, Ikechuku Okorie Igwenyi, Arthur Chinedu Okafor, Uket Nta Obeten, Doris Olachi Obasi, Uchenna Regina Ezeilo and Chidinma Nnenne David
International Journal of One Health, 6(2): 147-152

Ebuka Elijah David: Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Muhammad Arfat Yameen: Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Ikechuku Okorie Igwenyi: Department of Biochemistry, Ebonyi State University, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Arthur Chinedu Okafor: Department of Microbiology, Edo University, Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria.
Uket Nta Obeten: Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Doris Olachi Obasi: Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Uchenna Regina Ezeilo: Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Chidinma Nnenne David: Department of Microbiology, Ebonyi State University, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/IJOH.2020.147-152

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Article history: Received: 21-06-2020, Accepted: 12-08-2020, Published online: 01-10-2020

Corresponding author: Ebuka Elijah David

E-mail: david.ebuka@funai.edu.ng

Citation: David EE, Yameen MA, Igwenyi IO, Okafor AC, Obeten UN, Obasi DO, Ezeilo UR, David CN (2020) The frequency of virulent genes and antimicrobial resistance patterns of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolated from stools of children presenting with diarrhea in a tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, Nigeria, Int. J. One Health, 6(2): 147-152.
Abstract

Aim: This study was aimed to determine the virulent genes and antibiotic resistance patterns among circulating diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) pathotypes in a tertiary care health center in east of Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: Diarrheal stool samples were obtained from 80 children under 5 years and E. coli was isolated and identified using standard biochemical and molecular methods. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect eight virulent genes of DEC. Disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of DEC.

Results: DEC infection was observed in 54 (68%) children among which ial gene for enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) (40% [n=22]) was commonly detected followed by eltA/eltB for enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (30% [n=16]), pCVD for enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (20% [n=11]), and eaeA/bfpA for typical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (10% [n=5]). The DEC isolates phenotypically exhibited resistance for ampicillin (AMP) (44 [81%]), followed by ciprofloxacin (CIP)/ levofloxacin (LEV) (28 [52%]), cefoxitin (FOX) (11 [20%]), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (AMC) (6 [11%]). About 60% isolates of stable toxins-ETEC were resistant to AMC, CIP, and LEV while all the labile toxin-ETEC exhibited resistance to AMP. About 60% (n=6) resistance were seen in EAEC against ampicillin, AMC, FOX, CIP, and LEV. In EIEC, all the isolates (n=22) were resistant to AMP while 50% (n=11) were resistant to both CIP and LEV. All EPEC (n=5) were resistant to AMP, FOX, CIP, and LEV.

Conclusion: High frequency of virulent ial and eltA/eltB genes for EIEC and ETEC, respectively, suggests that they are the primary etiological agents of diarrhea in children among DEC pathotypes. Resistance of DEC to more than two classes of antibiotics indicate possible emergence of multidrug resistance.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, diarrheal stool, multidrug resistance, multiplex polymerase chain reaction, polymerase chain reaction.