Identification of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Genes and AmpC-β-Lactamase in Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli Recovered from Patients with Urinary Tract Infections in Kerman, Iran

Background: escherichia coli is the main causative pathogen in urinary tract infections (utis). antibiotic resistance in this bacterium is an important problem in public health. objectives: the aim of this study was to identify the bla_tem, bla_shv, bla_oxa, and bla_per genes and ampc-β-lactamase in clinical isolates of e. coli recovered from patients with utis in kerman, iran. methods: e. coli isolates (n = 105) were analyzed for their antibiotic susceptibility with the disk diffusion method. esbl and ampcproducing isolates were detected using phenotypic methods. pcr was used to identify the bla-tem, bla_shv, bla_oxa and bla_per genes in esbl and ampc-β-positive isolates. results: more than 50% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant. the prevalence of esbls, ampc-β-lactamase, bla_tem and bla_oxa in the inpatient isolates was 37.2%, 2%, 37.2% and 5.8%, respectively. further, the prevalence of esbls, bla_tem, bla_shv and bla_oxa in the outpatient isolates was 42.5%, 24%, 5.5% and 1.8%, respectively. conclusions: the prevalence of esbl-producing e. coli strains in the community (outpatients) is higher than that in inpatients in kerman, iran. an outbreak of esbl-producing isolates in the community can be a serious problem for public health, as resistance to other classes of antibiotics such as aminoglycosideandfluoroquinolones is often related with esblandampcproduction, therefore, detection of esbl and ampc-producing isolates in the community and hospitals is very important for the treatment and prevention of such isolates.