Microbial susceptibility, virulence factors, and plasmid profiles of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from children in Jahrom, Iran

ABSTRACT

Background: Urinary tract infections [UTIs], including cystitis and pyelonephritis, are the most common infectious diseases in childhood. Escherichia coli [E. coli] accounts for as much as 90% of the community-acquired and 50% of nosocomial UTIs. Therefore, identification of E. coli strains is important for both clinical and epidemiological implications. Understanding antibiotic resistance patterns and molecular characterization of plasmids and other genetic elements is also epidemiologically useful