Flooding adds pathogenic Escherichia coli strains to the water sources in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

• Published in: Indian journal of medical microbiology 2016-10, Vol.34 (4), p.483-488
• Main Authors: Shah, MS, Eppinger, M, Ahmed, S, Shah, AA, Hameed, A, Hasan, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accounting; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Developing countries; Diarrhea; Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli; Drug resistance; E coli; Epidemics; Escherichia coli; Floods; Food contamination & poisoning; Genes; Infections; Inflammatory bowel disease; LDCs; Mortality; Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli; Studies; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0255-0857; 1998-3646
• DOI: 10.4103/0255-0857.195350

Purpose: Seasonal rains in Pakistan result in heavy floods across the country, whereby faecal contaminants will be added to the water bodies and cause numerous food-borne outbreaks. The present study was aimed to determine the prevalence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains in the water sources. Materials and Methods: Two hundred water samples collected during (2011–2012) were processed for the isolation of E. coli (EC) strains. EC strains were further analysed for antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and pathogroups-specific virulence factors stx1, stx2, stx2c, eae, tir, hlyA, bfpA, estA and eltA were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Results: Thirty-three percent of the water samples were contaminated with EC pathotypes. Fifty percent (33/66) of the DEC pathotypes were identified as enterotoxigenic EC (ETEC). Seventy-two percent (13/18) of the enteropathogenic EC (EPEC) strains were identified as typical EPEC and 28% (5/18) as atypical EPEC. Eleven percent (7/66) of the Shiga toxin EC (STEC) isolates carried a combination of stx1 and stx2 genes. Summer was found as a peak season with 47% (31/66) for EC pathogroups’ activities. Eighty-nine percent of the strains showed resistance against tetracycline. Conclusion: ETEC and EPEC are the primary causes of water contamination in southern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Firm adherence to the prescribed drugs can decrease trends in antibiotic resistance.