Molecular detection of extended spectrum β-lactamase genes in Escherichia coli clinical isolates from diarrhoeic children in Kano, Nigeria

• Published in: PloS one 2020-12, Vol.15 (12), p.e0243130-e0243130
• Main Authors: Saka, Habeeb Kayode, García-Soto, Silvia, Dabo, Nasir Tukur, Lopez-Chavarrias, Vicente, Muhammad, Bashir, Ugarte-Ruiz, Maria, Alvarez, Julio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; beta-Lactamases - genetics; Biology and Life Sciences; Child; Children; Clinical isolates; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Developing countries; Diarrhea; DNA; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; E coli; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli Infections - drug therapy; Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Female; Genes; Genes, Bacterial; Genotype & phenotype; Glycerol; Health surveillance; Hospitals; Humans; LDCs; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Microorganisms; Mortality; Nigeria - epidemiology; Nosocomial infections; People and Places; Phenotypes; Public health; Research and Analysis Methods; Resistance factors; β Lactamase
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243130

The increase in antimicrobial resistance in developed and developing countries is a global public health challenge. In this context β-lactamase production is a major contributing factor to resistance globally. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of phenotypic and genotypic extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in 296 E. coli isolates recovered from diarrhoeic children younger than five years in Kano whose susceptibility profile against 7 antimicrobials had been determined. The E. coli isolates were subjected to double disc synergy test for phenotypic ESBLs detection and ESBL associated genes (blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV) were detected using conventional PCR. Phenotypically, 12.8% (38/296) E. coli isolates presented a ESBLs phenotype, with a significantly higher proportion in isolates from females compared with males (P-value = 0.024). blaCTX-M 73.3% and blaTEM 73.3% were the predominant resistance genes in the ESBLs positive E. coli (each detected in 22/30 isolates, of which 14 harboured both). In addition, 1/30 harboured blaCTX-M + blaTEM + blaSHV genes simultaneously. This study demonstrates the presence of ESBLs E. coli isolates in clinically affected children in Kano, and demonstrates the circulation of blaCTX-M and blaTEM associated with those phenotypes. Enactment of laws on prudent antibiotic use is urgently needed in Kano.