INTRODUCTION

can cause intestinal and extra-intestinal infections which ranged from mild to life-threatening infections. The severity of infection is a product of many factors including virulence properties and antimicrobial resistance.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the antibiotic resistance pattern, the distribution of virulence factors and their association with one another and with some selected resistance genes.

METHODS

Virulence properties were analyzed phenotypically while antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by Kirby-Bauer agar disc diffusion method. In addition, 64 isolates were tested for 6 colicin genes, virulence genes and , and resistance genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

Extra-intestinal pathogenic isolated from urine and blood samples represented a battery of virulence factors and resistance genes with a great ability to produce biofilm. Also, a significant association (P<0.05) among most of the tested colicin, virulence and resistance genes was observed. The observed associations indicate the importance and contribution of the tested factors in the establishment and the progress of infection especially with (ExPEC) which is considered a great challenging health problem.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for studying how to control these factors to decrease the rate and the severity of infections. The relationship between virulence factors and resistance genes is complex and needs more studies that should be specific for each area.