Antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli O26, O103, O111, O128, and O145 from animals and humans

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 8; no. 12; pp. 1409 - 1414
• Main Authors: Schroeder, Carl M, Meng, Jianghong, Zhao, Shaohua, DebRoy, Chitrita, Torcolini, Jocelyn, Zhao, Cuiwei, McDermott, Patrick F, Wagner, David D, Walker, Robert D, White, David G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.12.2002
• Subjects: Animals; Causes of; Cross infection; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli O157 - classification; Escherichia coli O157 - drug effects; Escherichia coli O157 - genetics; Escherichia coli O157 - isolation & purification; Health aspects; Humans; Meningitis; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nosocomial infections; Serotyping; Urinary tract infections; United States
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid0812.0200770

Susceptibilities to fourteen antimicrobial agents important in clinical medicine and agriculture were determined for 752 Escherichia coli isolates of serotypes O26, O103, O111, O128, and O145. Strains of these serotypes may cause urinary tract and enteric infections in humans and have been implicated in infections with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Approximately 50% of the 137 isolates from humans were resistant to ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole, cephalothin, tetracycline, or streptomycin, and approximately 25% were resistant to chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Approximately 50% of the 534 isolates from food animals were resistant to sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, or streptomycin. Of 195 isolates with STEC-related virulence genes, approximately 40% were resistant to sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, or streptomycin. Findings from this study suggest antimicrobial resistance is widespread among E. coli O26, O103, O111, O128, and O145 inhabiting humans and food animals.