title: Molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in Riyadh: emergence of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli ST131.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) has increased recently. The aim of this study was to further characterise and to assess the occurrence of ESBL-EC in Riyadh, to use pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing to investigate the epidemiology of ESBL-EC and to determine the prevalence of ST131 in ESBL-EC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 152 E. coli isolates were collected at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh from September 2010 to June 2011. Genotypic and phenotypic methods were used to characterise ESBLs. PFGE was used to determine genetic relatedness. Detection of ST131 and CTX-M-like ESBLs was performed using real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 152 strains, 31 were positive for ESBLs by phenotypic methods. The blaCTX-M-15 gene was highly prevalent (30/31 strains, 96.77%) among the 31 ESBL-positive E. coli strains. The blaCTX-M-27 gene was detected in one strain. Twenty (64.5%) out of 31 of ESBL-EC were ST131. PFGE revealed 29 different pulsotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study documented the high prevalence of ESBLs in E. coli isolates, with CTX-M-15 as the predominant ESBL gene. ST131 clone producing CTX-M-15 has a major presence in our hospital. The high prevalence of CTX-M producers was not due to the spread of a single clone. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-27 β-lactamases and the detection of the ST131 clone in Saudi E. coli isolates.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutics and Microbiology Department, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P,O, Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. malagamy@ksu.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Mohamed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al-Agamy
authors.forename: Atef M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shibl
authors.forename: Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: Mohammad N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Al-Ahdal
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.forename: Harish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khubnani
mesh_terms: D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D058889:Molecular Typing; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C473109:beta-lactamase CTX-M-15; D001618:beta-Lactamases