MOLECULAR DETECTION OF OXA-48-LIKE CARBAPENEMASEPRODUCING ESCHERICHIA COLI FROM CLINICAL LABORATORIES IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

THE GLOBAL RISING REPORT OF EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA LACTAMASE (ESBL) AS
WELL AS CARBAPENEM RESISTANCE (CR) IS ALARMING. THIS INCREASE IS OF SERIOUS
HEALTH CONCERN AS THE CHOICE OF TREATMENT IS LIMITED. WE THEREFORE
INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENCE OF ESBL AND CR AMONG URINARY ISOLATES OBTAINED
FROM CLINICAL LABORATORIES IN LAGOS STATE. FIFTY-EIGHT URINE SAMPLES WERE
COLLECTED AND TESTED. THEIR ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITIES AND ESBL
PRODUCTION WERE DETERMINED USING DISK DIFFUSION METHOD. ACCORDING TO
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING (EUCAST),
OUT OF THE 58 ISOLATES TESTED, THE MOST INHIBITORY WAS MEROPENEM AND THE
kLEAST EFFECTIVE CIPROFLOXACIN. THE RESULTS PANNED OUT AS MEROPENEM
(91.4%), ERTAPENEM (74.1%) CEFTAZIDIME (44.8%), CIPROFLOXACIN (15.5%),
GENTAMICIN (20.7%), CEFOTAXIME (31%) AND AMOXICILLIN/CLAVUNATE ACID (31%).
ESBL PRODUCTION WAS FOUND IN 4 (6.9%) OF THE 58 ISOLATES. ALSO, 6.9% WERE
FOUND TO BE CARBAPENEM NON-SUSCEPTIBLE WITH ONLY 5.1% EXPRESSING OXA-48
TYPE CARBAPENEMASE WHILE 1.7% EXPRESSED BOTH OXA-48 TYPE CARBAPENEMASE
AND ESBL. AMONG THE CARBAPENEMS, MEROPENEM HAD THE HIGHEST ACTIVITY
FOLLOWED BY ERTAPENEM (74.1%). THE DETECTION OF OXA- 48 TYPE CARBAPENEM
IN E. COLI POSES THREATS TO THE COMMUNITY HENCE ADEQUATE SCREENING
METHODS FOR EARLY DETECTION IS IMPERATIVE TO AID PREVENT AND CONTROL
THEIR DISSEMINATION.