Antimicrobial Drug Resistance in Escherichia coli from Humans, and Identification of Carbapenemase-Producing E. coli in the City of Zabol, Iran

Background: Urinary tract infection is the second most common cause of infection in the human body. Among bacteria of the urinary tract, Escherichia coli is the most common bacteria causing urinary tract infection. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of antibiotics used in the treatment of urinary tract infections through the microdilution method and comparing it with disk diffusion. Methods: E. coli strains were collected from urinary tract infections from patients of Zabol hospital. Antimicrobial resistance pattern was investigated by diffusion and microdilution methods on E. coli strains. DNA extraction was performed using the phenol chloroform method and finally, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out for the OXa gene. Results: The results of this study showed that E. coli was resistant to antibiotics, including amikacin (AN; 42.85%), cefazolin (CZ; 35.71), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (AMC; 35.71%), ampicillin (AM; 35.71%). The results of PCR to detect the OXa gene showed that five strains (35.71%) were carriers of the OXa gene. Conclusions: Antibiotic resistance pattern was different in different regions and also, relative resistance to newer antibiotics is increasing. For this reason, antibiotic resistance patterns are used in experimental and specific treatment of urinary tract infections.