title: Prevalence, antibiotic resistance patterns and molecular characterization of Escherichia coli from Austrian sandpits.
abstract: The aim was to determine the prevalence of E. coli and coliform bacteria in playground sand of all public children's sandpits in Graz (n = 45), Austria, and to assess the frequency of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli. Molecular characterization included the discrimination of O-serotypes and H-antigens and the determination of virulence and resistance genes, using a microarray technology. E. coli isolates were tested for susceptibility to a set of antibiotics by VITEK2 system and disk diffusion method. In total, 22 (49%) and 44 (98%) sandpits were positive for E. coli and coliform bacteria. Median concentrations of E. coli and coliform bacteria in the sand samples were: 2.6 × 10(4) CFU/100 g and 3.0 × 10(5) CFU/100 g. Resistance rates were: ampicillin, 12.5%; piperacillin, 10.4%; amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 9.4%; cotrimoxazole, 6.3%; tetracycline, 6.3%; piperacillin/tazobactam, 5.2%. No ESBL- or carbapenemase-producing isolates were found. The most prevalent serogroups were O15, O6 and O4. Isolates harbored 0 up to 16 different virulence genes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria. Electronic address: alexandra.badura@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badura
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luxner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gebhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feierl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Reinthaler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarfel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation; Medical University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pregartner
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation; Medical University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riedl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine; Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Grisold
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010988:Play and Playthings; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Austria; Coliform bacteria; Escherichia coli; Microarray