Prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Escherichia coli in an Indian teaching hospital and adjoining communities

ABSTRACT

Multidrug resistant [MDR] strains of the Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium, Escherichia coli, particularly fluoroquinolone-resistant strains, are the major causative agents for hospital acquired [HA] infections, as well as epidemics linked to gastrointestinal [GI] and urinary tracts in the non-hygienic communities of most developing countries. The prevalence of multidrug resistance among 1642 strains of E. coli, isolated from clinical samples of patients with GI infections in a hospital over 39 months [November 2009-January 2013] is recorded, along with sensitivity patterns to 23 currently used antibiotics, including third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones with disc-diffusion method. A total of 1642 strains of E. coli were isolated from the clinical samples, of which 810 isolates were from CA samples and 832 isolates were from hospitalized patients during the study period. Of the 810 CA isolates, 567 strains were resistant to fluoroquinolone antibiotics; of the 832 HA isolates, 575 strains were fluoroquinolone-resistant, independently. Minimum inhibitory concentration values of fluoroquinolones [ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin] against the isolated E. coli strains confirmed the resistance in the current/coveted treatment options. Patients with other bacterial infections had relatively higher chances of becoming infected with fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli strains. The data presented epitomize the daunting state of the infection-dynamics of fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli in hospitals and adjoining communities