TY - JOUR
T1 - High Prevalence of ESBL Genes in Commensal Escherichia coli of the Urinary Tract
T2 - Implications for Antibiotic Stewardship among Residents of Ghanaian Elderly Nursing Care Homes
AU - Armah, Emmanuel
AU - Osae-Nyarko, Lawrencia
AU - Idun, Bright
AU - Ahiabu, Mawutor Kwame
AU - Agyapong, Isaac
AU - Kwarteng, Freda Boampong
AU - Oppong, Mercy
AU - Mohammed, Naael
AU - Kotey, Fleischer C.N.
AU - Osei-Atweneboana, Mike Yaw
AU - Dayie, Nicholas T.K.D.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - The emergence and spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) pose significant challenges to the treatment and control of urinary tract infections, particularly among vulnerable populations, such as the elderly living in nursing care homes. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of ESBL genes in commensal E. coli isolated from urine samples of 118 elderly individuals residing in Ghanaian nursing care homes. A total of 195 ESBL genes were detected among 41 E. coli isolated from the study participants. All the isolates harboured at least one ESBL gene, and the majority of them (70.1%) carried at least four ESBL genes. Among the ESBL genes detected, CTXM825 was the predominant (14.1%). In antimicrobial susceptibility testing, 65.9% of the isolates showed resistance to cefepime, a fourth-generation cephalosporin, while 56.1% showed resistance to cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin. Additionally, 46.3% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant, indicating resistance to antibiotics from multiple classes. In summary, we observed relatively high rates of resistance to antibiotics as well as alarming rates of ESBL genes in the isolated pathogens. These findings emphasise the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control programmes to mitigate the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens in nursing care homes.
AB - The emergence and spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) pose significant challenges to the treatment and control of urinary tract infections, particularly among vulnerable populations, such as the elderly living in nursing care homes. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of ESBL genes in commensal E. coli isolated from urine samples of 118 elderly individuals residing in Ghanaian nursing care homes. A total of 195 ESBL genes were detected among 41 E. coli isolated from the study participants. All the isolates harboured at least one ESBL gene, and the majority of them (70.1%) carried at least four ESBL genes. Among the ESBL genes detected, CTXM825 was the predominant (14.1%). In antimicrobial susceptibility testing, 65.9% of the isolates showed resistance to cefepime, a fourth-generation cephalosporin, while 56.1% showed resistance to cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin. Additionally, 46.3% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant, indicating resistance to antibiotics from multiple classes. In summary, we observed relatively high rates of resistance to antibiotics as well as alarming rates of ESBL genes in the isolated pathogens. These findings emphasise the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control programmes to mitigate the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens in nursing care homes.
KW - ESBL
KW - Escherichia coli
KW - antimicrobial resistance
KW - uropathogen
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85202501607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/genes15080985
DO - 10.3390/genes15080985
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85202501607
SN - 2073-4425
VL - 15
JO - Genes
JF - Genes
IS - 8
M1 - 985
ER -