title: Multidrug resistant AmpC β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli isolated from a paediatric hospital.
abstract: Objective : The objective of the study was to observe the antimicrobial resistance of AmpC β-lactamase producing E. coli.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred and seventy E. coli were isolated from 20,257 various pathological samples collected from The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Pakistan. The isolates showed resistance to ceftazidime which were further examined for AmpC β-lactamase activity by Disc Potentiation method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 670 isolates of E. coli out of which 85 (12.6%) were AmpC β-lactamase producers. Risk factors like intravenous line (76.5%), endotracheal tube (22.4%), surgery (12.9%) and urinary catheters (7.1%) were found to be associated with infection caused by AmpC β-lactamase producing E. coli. Antimicrobial resistance pattern revealed that AmpC producing E. coli were highly resistant to co-amoxiclav, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, cefixime, ceftriaxone and cefoxitin (100% each). Least resistance was observed against sulbactam-cefoperazone (14.1%), cefepime (7.1%), piperacillin-tazobactam (5.9%) and none of the isolates were resistant to imipenem and meropenem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The minimum use of invasive devices and strict antibiotic policies can reduce the spread of AmpC β-lactamase producing E. coli.
authors.affiliation: Noor-ul-Ain Jameel, (M.Phil), Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Noor-Ul-Ain
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Jameel
authors.affiliation: Hasan Ejaz, (M.Phil), Department of Microbiology, The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ejaz
authors.affiliation: Aizza Zafar, (M.Phil), Department of Microbiology, The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aizza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.affiliation: Hafsa Amin, (M.Phil), Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Hafsa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amin
keywords: AmpC β-lactamase; Antimicrobial resistance; E. coli; Multidrug resistant E. coli