Incidence of extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli among patients, healthy individuals and in the environment.

ABSTRACT

We investigated the faecal carriage of extended spectrum β‑lactamases (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in different groups of human subjects and in the environment. A total of 363 E. coli strains were isolated from stool samples of patients (n = 77), healthy subjects (n = 170) and from different environmental samples (n = 116). A total of 124 ESBL producing E. coli strains were isolated in this study. The frequency of ESBL producing E. coli was found to be highest (60.3%) among the strains isolated from patients, followed by healthy individuals (38%) and the environment (10.5%). The environment was observed to have a very low number of ESBL producing E. coli.