title: The role of drinking water in the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli.
abstract: To determine whether drinking water contaminated with antimicrobial-resistant E. coli is associated with the carriage of resistant E. coli, selected households sending water samples to Ontario and Alberta laboratories in 2005-2006 were asked to participate in a cross-sectional study. Household members aged ≥12 years were asked to complete a questionnaire and to submit a rectal swab. In 878 individuals, 41% carried a resistant strain of E. coli and 28% carried a multidrug-resistant strain. The risk of carriage of resistant E. coli was 1·26 times higher for users of water contaminated with resistant E. coli. Other risk factors included international travel [prevalence ratio (PR) 1·33], having a child in nappies (PR 1·33), being male (PR 1·33), and frequent handling of raw red meats (PR 1·10). Protecting private water sources (e.g. by improving systems to test and treat them) may help slow the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli.
authors: Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: B L
authors: BL
authors: Coleman
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: Salvadori
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: McGeer
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Sibley
authors: N F
authors: NF
authors: Neumann
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Bondy
authors: I A
authors: IA
authors: Gutmanis
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: McEwen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lavoie
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Strong
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Johnson
authors: F B
authors: FB
authors: Jamieson
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Louie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water