Maldi-TOF MS identification and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from playground

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli strains isolated from samples taken from various children's parks of Ankara and to confirm the resistance by molecular methods. Five hundred fifty-four samples, including soil samples from 140 different parks and 414 swab samples from slides, swings, ferris wheels, seesaws, and other toys from 176 different parks, were taken. Fourty E. coli strains isolated from these samples were included in the study.Antibiotic susceptibility tests of 40 E. coli isolates were performed by EUCAST recommendations. The resistance rates of E. coli isolates were found as ciprofloxacin 5%, ampicillin 17%, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 15%, streptomycin 12.5%, tobramycin 5%, gentamicin 5%, cefotaxime 2.5%, and ceftazidime 2.5%. Intermediate rates were found as 95%, 90%, and 70% for tobramycin, gentamicin, and streptomycin respectively.blaCTX-M β-lactamase gene was investigated for an isolate determined to be resistant to both cefotaxime and ceftazidime but blaCTXM gene could not be detected. Aminoglycoside resistance of strains has been investigated because of high intermediate sensitivity rates. For this purpose, aac(6′)-Ib, aac(3′)-IIa, aph(3′)-VI, ant(3′)-I, aac(3′)-IV, ant(2′)-Ia genes scanned, and were detected 97.5% of our isolates ant (3′)-I, %25 aac(6′)-Ib’, 5% aac(3′)-IIa, 2.5% ant(2′)-Ia. Also, aph(3′)-VI, and aac(3′)-IV genes could not be detected in any of the isolates. Consequently, it has been revealed that resistant E. coli strains isolated from children's parks can pose a potential risk in public health for transmission of resistant genes.