Co-existence of NDM-, aminoglycoside- and fluoroquinolone-resistant genes in carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolates from Pakistan.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals that causes numerous illnesses such as infection of the blood or urinary tract, diarrhea and vomiting. New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM) is a protein produced by E. coli that is capable of breaking down several important antibiotics including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. E. coli that produce this protein are known as 'resistant', and therefore treatments against these infections are limited. This study looked at how common NDM was found among E. coli taken from hospitalized patients in Lahore, Pakistan, to understand the risks of resistant bacteria in clinical settings and found a high number of a high-risk E. coli.