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.
Ministry of Health Central Laboratories, Yakov Eliav st. 9, P.O. Box 34410, 91342 Jerusalem, Israel. moshe.wolk@eliav.health.gov.il
Moshe
M
Wolk
Lea
L
Valinsky
David
D
Sompolinsky
Iancu
I
Sechter
Herbert
H
Schmidt
Shaul
S
Tetry
Vered
V
Agmon
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