Genome characterization of ESBL-producing multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in Rabat, Morocco.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES\nExtended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are an increasingly significant cause of hospital and community-acquired infections worldwide. Whereas several reports have highlighted their increased prevalence also in North African countries, genomic data on isolates associated with these infections are still scarce. This study aims to provide data of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from patients with extra-intestinal infections at the Military teaching hospital Mohamed V of Rabat (Morocco).\n\n\nMETHODS\nWhole-genome sequencing was carried out on 18 of these ESBL-producing Extra-intestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) for analysis of phylogenomic evolution, virulence factor and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Data were compared to ExPEC lineages from a few surrounding countries using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-based phylogenetic approaches RESULTS: The majority of E. coli sequence types (ST) was ST131 (n\u202f=\u202f15), followed by ST617 (n=2) and a new ST (ST10703) which is closely-related to the pandemic ST405. All ST131 belonged to the O25b-ST131 pandemic clone. They harbored more virulence genes than did non-ST131 counterparts. IncF plasmid replicons and the Beta-Lactamase (bla)CTX-M-15 gene were identified in all isolates. No ESBL-producing E. coli isolate (n=18) carried any known carbapenemase gene.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nour findings underscore the preeminence of ST131 as the major factor driving the expansion of ExPEC in the Rabat region while highlighting the potential links with isolates circulating in other neighboring countries.