Endemic occurrence of infections by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli of four unique serotypes in the elderly population of Israel.
During a period of four years, multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli of particular serotypes have been isolated from 255 elderly (>65 years) patients from four hospitals in central Israel. 83% of the isolates belonged to one of four predominant serotypes (O153:H31, O101:H-, O2:H42, and O102:H6). All isolates were producers of extended spectrum beta-lactamases and resistant to ciprofloxacin. To our knowledge, the involved serotypes have hitherto not been reported as etiological agents of extraintestinal human infections (MEDLINE). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of isolates from one of the most frequent serotypes indicated a clonal relationship between them. Further investigation of these strains and analysis of their virulence factors may help to confine their spread.
Wolk
Moshe
M
Ministry of Health Central Laboratories, Yakov Eliav st. 9, P.O. Box 34410, 91342 Jerusalem, Israel. moshe.wolk@eliav.health.gov.il
Valinsky
Lea
L
Sompolinsky
David
D
Sechter
Iancu
I
Schmidt
Herbert
H
Tetry
Shaul
S
Agmon
Vered
V
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D001618:beta-Lactamases