Characterization of Uropathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> by Phylogenetic Grouping, Integron, and Antibiotic Resistance Properties

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant phenotypes in clinically important Gram-negative bacteria are a major medical issue worldwide. The presence of  integrons from classes 1 and 2 (intl1 and intl2) and their phylogenetic correlations with antibiotic resistance in UPEC clinical isolates were  examined in this investigation. Midstream urine samples from urinary tract infection outpatients in multiple Baghdad hospitals yielded  100 highly resistant E. coli bacteria. The automated VITEK system recognized typical E. coli colonies. Disk diffusion was used to investigate  antibiotic susceptibility for the most frequent phylogroups. PCR was utilized to detect and characterize integrons and antibiotic resistance genes. The most common phylogroups were F (36.66%) and C (23.33%). UPEC isolates were detected in all  phylogroups except six untyped ones. Integrons were found in 74.4% of isolates (61.4% intI1 and 13.3% intI2). The highest integron rate  (85.71%) was in phylogroup C isolates. Integrons were linked to multidrug resistance in 60% of phylogroup F and C isolates. Nearly half of  these isolates had multidrug resistance. This study found that phylogroup F dominates E. coli isolates due to a complex set of variables  that support its expansion and persistence. Enhanced fitness, pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance make these strains a  public health threat. This study shows that clinically mobile Class 1 integrons attract more mobile genomic components. This may affect  the establishment of complex, horizontally moving multidrug-resistant units, complicating antibiotic therapy.