title: Characterization of Vaginal Escherichia coli Isolated from Pregnant Women in Two Different African Sites.
abstract: The relevance of vaginal colonization of pregnant women by Escherichia coli is poorly understood, despite these strains sharing a similar virulence profile with other extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli producing severe obstetric and neonatal infections. We characterized the epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence profiles of 84 vaginal E. coli isolates from pregnant women from Rabat (Morocco) and Manhiça (Mozambique), two very distinct epidemiological settings. Low levels of antimicrobial resistance were observed to all drugs tested, except for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in Manhiça, where this drug is extensively used as prophylaxis for opportunistic HIV infections. The most prevalent virulence factors were related to iron acquisition systems. Phylogroup A was the most common in Rabat, while phylogroups E and non-typeable were the most frequent in Manhiça. Regardless of the apparently "low virulence" of these isolates, the frequency of infections is higher and the outcomes more devastating in constrained-resources conditions, especially among pregnant women and newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sáez-López
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Anélsio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cossa
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benmessaoud
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Lola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Madrid
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cinta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moraleda
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.affiliation: Équipe de Recherche en Santé et Nutrition du Couplé Mère Enfant, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Mohammed V Souissi, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Houssain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tligui
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Benilde
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moiane
authors.affiliation: Équipe de Recherche de Périnatologie, Université Mohammed V Souissi, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alami
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Massora
authors.affiliation: Équipe de Recherche de Périnatologie, Université Mohammed V Souissi, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bezad
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Inacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mandomando
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Quique
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Bassat
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Soto
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009018:Morocco; D009073:Mozambique; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D001618:beta-Lactamases