Spread of Enterococcal Surface Protein in Antibiotic Resistant Entero-coccus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis isolates from Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

Enterococci rank among leading cause of nosocomial bacteremia and urinary tract infection in hospital and community acquired infections. Several traits that may contribute to enhanced virulence have been identified in Enterococci. Extracellular surface protein (Esp) is a virulence factor that contributes in biofilm formation and resistance to environmental stresses. In this study we aimed to determine occurrence ofespinE. faeciumandE. faecalisisolates isolated from urinary tract infections and to investigate whether there is any correlation between presence ofespand antibiotic resistance. One hundred and sixty six isolates were collected from patients with UTI and after identification by biochemical and PCR, antibiotic resistances were examined. The presence ofespwas investigated by primer-specific PCR. 43.3% of isolates identified asE. faeciumand 56.7% asE. faecalis. Theespgene was found in 76.1% ofE. faeciumisolates and 77.9% ofE. faecalisisolate. There were significant correlation betweenesppositiveE. faeciumand resistance to Vancomycin (p<0.01), also inE.faecaliswe found correlation betweenesppositive and resistance to Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.01 respectively). Occurrence ofespin our isolates from urinary tract infection was high that indicates importance of this gene in urinary tract infections and shows importance of ability to forming biofilm and hydrophobicity of surface of Enterococci for causing urinary infection by Enterococci. Also, our finding showed significant correlation between resistance to antibiotics and presence ofespin Enterococci.