Affiliation:
1. Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
2. Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and
3. JMI Laboratories, North Liberty, Iowa
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Extraintestinal Escherichia coli infections are increasingly challenging due to emerging antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to extended-spectrum beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones. Sequence type 131 (ST131) is a leading contributor.
Methods
Three hundred sixty E. coli clinical isolates from across the United States (2011–2012), selected randomly from the SENTRY collection within 3 resistance categories (extended-spectrum cephalosporin [ECS]–reduced susceptibility [RS]; fluoroquinolone-resistant, ESC-susceptible; and fluoroquinolone-susceptible, ESC-susceptible) were typed for phylogroup, sequence type complex (STc), subsets thereof, virulence genotype, O type, and beta-lactamase genes. Molecular results were compared with susceptibility profile, specimen type, age, and sex.
Results
Phylogroup B2 accounted for most isolates, especially fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates (83%). Group B2–derived ST131 and its H30 subclone (divided between H30Rx and H30R1) predominated, especially among ESC-RS and fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates. In contrast, among fluoroquinolone-susceptible isolates, group B2–derived STc73 and STc95 predominated. Within each resistance category, ST131 isolates exhibited more extensive resistance and/or virulence profiles than non-ST131 isolates. ST131-H30 was distributed broadly by geographical region, age, and specimen type and exhibited distinctive beta-lactamase genes. Back-calculations indicated that within the source population ST131 accounted for 26.4% of isolates overall (vs 17% in 2007), including 19.8% ST131-H30, 13.2% ST131-H30R1, and 6.6% each ST131-H30Rx and non-H30 ST131.
Conclusions
ST131-H30, with its ESC resistance-associated H30Rx subset, caused most antimicrobial-resistant E. coli infections across the United States in 2011–2012 and, since 2007, increased in relative prevalence by >50%. Focused attention to this strain could help combat the current E. coli resistance epidemic.
Funder
Merck and by Office of Research and Development, Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Oncology