[Investigation of beta-lactamase genes and clonal relationship among the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing nosocomial Escherichia coli isolates].

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing microorganisms currently cause a major problem. Among theseCTX-M beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli has also disseminated worldwide as an important cause of both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of the beta-lactamase genes, antibiotic susceptibilities and clonal relationships of ESBL-producing nosocomial E.coli isolates. A total of 76 ESBL-producing E.coli strains isolated from urine (n= 26), blood (n= 25) and wound (n= 25) specimens of hospitalized patients identified as nosocomial infection agents according to the CDC criteria between June 2010-June 2011 were included in the study. Antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates were detected by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI recommendations. ESBL production was tested by double disc diffusion method, and cefotaxime/cefotaxime-clavulanic acid E-test strips (AB Biodisk, Sweden) were used for indeterminate results. Presence of TEM, SHV, CTX-M, OXA-2 group, 0XA-10 group, PER, VEB and GES beta-lactamase genes were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method was used for the detection of clonal relationships among the strains. Most of the ESBL-producing E.coli strains were isolated from samples of inpatients in intensive care (35%), internal medicine (16%) and general surgery (13%) units. All of the 76 strains were found susceptible to imipenem, meropenem and amikacin; however all were resistant to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone. The susceptibility rates of the isolates to cefoxitin, ertapenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, piperacillin-tazobactam, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, cefepime, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, aztreonam and ceftazidime were 96%, 83%, 63%, 61%, 50%, 41%, 25%, 21%, 20% and 18%, respectively. Among E.coli isolates, the frequency of CTX-M, TEM, OXA-2 group, PER, SHV and OXA-10 group beta-lactamase genes were found as 89.5%, 59.2%, 15.8%, 14.5%, 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively, while none of the isolates were positive for VEB and GES beta-lactamase genes. In 1 (1.3%) strain none of the investigated genes were detected. PCR analyses of the isolates revealed that 25 harbored CTX-M and TEM genes together, while 20 harbored only CTX-M and two harbored only TEM genes. Single SHV gene was not detected in any of the isolates. PFGE demonstrated no major clonal relationship between ESBL-producing isolates. This study indicated that CTX-M type enzymes were highly endemic among ESBL-producing nosocomial E.coli strains in our hospital, with the polyclonal spread of ESBL-producing bacteria without any dominant epidemic clone. In conclusion, it was considered that further studies are needed to explain the relationship between epidemic clones and plasmids with the use of plasmid analysis and multilocus sequence typing methods.