Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Extra-intestinal Escherichia coli Infections in a South Western Nigerian City

There is a general increase in the attention being paid to extraintestinal Escherichia coli infections; this is because recent reports have identified various reserviour sources of multi-resistant clones of E. coli carrying mobile genetic elements capable of epidemic spread. The public health implication of an outbreak of E. coli is better imagined than experienced. We have therefore analyzed all extraintestinal E. coli isolates and their resistance profile in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria between March 2010 and November 2010. About 339 isolates of E. coli were isolated at the Microbiology Unit of Federal Medical center, Abeokuta using standard Bacteriological techniques and tested against various antibiotics including 3rd generation Cephalosporins. Gender distribution was 105(31.0%) males and 234(39.0%) females, the highest recovery rate was recorded by age group 16-45 with 198(58.4%), followed by above 45 years 76(22.4%) and lastly 0-15 years 65(19.2%). Urine had the highest occurrence rate with 180(53.0%), followed by genital samples with 61(18.0%), and the least frequently isolated site was Blood, 27(8.0%). Other samples tested were grouped together and recorded 35(10.4%). Gentamycin was the most active antibiotic with 41.3% susceptibility against all isolates tested, followed closely by Amoxi/clav with 36.3% against all isolates tested. Very high resistance was recorded by the β-lactamases. There was poor sensitivity to the 3rd generation cephalosporins, 32.0% of isolates were susceptible to Ceftazidime and 34.4% to Cefuroxime in age group 16-45, and 46.4% susceptibility to ceftazidime were recorded against all isolates tested. In conclusion we report a high antimicrobial resistant rate in extraintestinal E. coli infection in Abeokuta with possible co-acquisition of different β-lactamase subtypes including ESBL and emerging Carbapenemases, the results of this study highlights the importance of regular surveillance of common pathogens such as E. coli in our environment.