Abstract
Escherichia coli is the most frequent Gram-negative bacilli involved in intra-abdominal infections. However, despite high mortality rates associated with biliary tract infections due to E. coli, there is no study focusing on this pathogen. In this study, we have characterized a group of 15 E. coli isolates obtained from 12 patients with biliary tract infections. Demographic and clinical data of the patients were recovered. Phylogeny, resistome, and virulome analysis through whole genome sequencing and biofilm formation were investigated. Among the 15 E. coli isolates, no predominant sequence type (ST) was identified, although 3 of them belonged to unknown STs (20%). Resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cotrimoxazole, and quinolones was more present in these isolates; whereas, third and fourth generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, amikacin, tigecycline, and colistin were highly active. Moreover, high diversity of virulence factors has been found, with sfa, fimH, and gad the most frequently detected genes. Interestingly, 26.6% of the E. coli isolates were high biofilm-producers. Altogether, our data characterized for the first time E. coli isolates associated with biliary tract infections in terms of genomic relationship, resistome, and virulome.
Highlights
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium with high clinical relevance
We examined the clonal relationship, the resistome, and virulome in 15 E. coli isolates responsible for biliary tract infections in Spain
This study shows, for the first time, the genomic relationship, resistome, and virulome of 15 E. coli isolates obtained from bile and blood cultures of 12 patients with biliary tract infection
Summary
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium with high clinical relevance. This microorganism may cause severe community- and hospital-acquired infections including bacteraemia, urinary tract, respiratory, and intra-abdominal infections [1]. E. coli sequence type 131 (ST131) identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has been reported as the most prevalent clonal group worldwide, frequently associated with multidrug-resistance (MDR) and infections [5]. Other pandemic lineages such as ST69, ST95, and ST73 have been associated with more virulent E. coli isolates [6,7]. The epidemiology of E. coli causing biliary tract infection is poorly documented
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