Incidence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of uropathogenic Escherichia coli positive for extended spectrum ß-lactamase among HIV/AIDS patients in Awka metropolis, Nigeria.

Background and Objectives: This study investigated the incidence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli recovered from HIV/AIDS patients in Awka metropolis, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of 363 urine samples were bacteriologically analyzed for the isolation of E. coli isolates which were further characterized using standard microbiology techniques. The isolated uropathogenic E. coli was tested for susceptibility to a range of clinically important antibiotics using the modified disk diffusion technique. All E. coli isolates were phenotypically screened for ESBL production using the combined disk technique, and strains which were positive were further confirmed for the presence of ESBL genes using PCR technique. Results: A total 160 (44.1%) non-duplicate isolates were bacteriologically confirmed to be uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). The E. coli isolates showed reduced susceptibility to important antibiotics including ceftazidime (76.88%), cefuroxime (77.5%), cefixime (61.88%), amoxicillin-clavulanic (32.5%) and ciprofloxacin (34.38%). Twenty-seven of the UPEC isolates were phenotypically confirmed to be ESBL producers. PCR test confirmed some important genes mediating ESBL production in Gram negative bacteria including bla TEM (5.0%) and bla CTX-M-15 (6.9%) genes. Conclusion: We report a high prevalence of ESBL producers among HIV/AIDS patients in Awka, Nigeria. This result is important as antibiotic resistance (ABR) particularly those mediated by multidrug resistant bacteria as reported in this current study could complicate treatment outcome, worsen the individual's health, and even increase cost of treatment and hospitalization. It is therefore important to lookout for ESBL positive UPEC amongst HIV/AIDS patients in Nigeria.

Trends in Empirical Treatment of Hospitalized Children with Acute Gastroenteritis in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Acute gastroenteritis is a common infectious disease with a high rate of morbidity and mortality in children below five years of age. Appropriate empirical treatment is therefore vital for reducing the incidence of the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at determining the trends in the empirical treatment of hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis. METHODS: The study involved the data analysis of 88 medical folders of children who were diagnosed with gastroenteritis from January to February 2020 (a period of gastroenteritis yearly outbreak) in Mile 4 Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Socio-demographic data and administered antibiotics data were collected. RESULTS: Out of the 88 children, a total of 54 (61%) children were males, while 34 (39%) were females. The ages of the children ranged between 1-51 months, while the mean age was seen at 14 months. About 58 (66%) were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis alone, with children aged 7-12 months recording higher numbers [25 (28%)]. Severe dehydration was seen as the most common morbidity of children with acute gastroenteritis. The guardians/parents of these children stayed at home for an average of 3 days (1-6 days) before visiting the hospital. The children were treated for an average of 5 days (2-9 days) in the hospital. The most singly used antibiotics was ciprofloxacin [31 (35%)] followed by a combination of ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone [21 (24%)]. About 12 (14%) of the children were treated using a single dose of the antimalarial drug while 10 (11%) were treated in double combination therapy. The lowest duration in hospitalization (4 days) was seen in the use of a single dose regimen, while the highest hospitalization time (6 days) was seen in the use of a triple dose regimen. CONCLUSION: The best empirical treatment of acute gastroenteritis may involve the use of ciprofloxacin alone and its combination with ceftriaxone. The severity of gastroenteritis may also be exacerbated with malaria.

Multi-Antibiotic Resistance and Factors Affecting Carriage of Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Pediatric Population of Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria.

Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms have become a serious challenge in healthcare delivery globally. The prevalence of ESBL carriage in healthy and sick children in Enugu, Nigeria, was bacteriologically investigated in this study. Four hundred and twenty-two biological samples (mid-stream urine and feces) were bacteriologically analyzed. The isolates were screened for ESBL production using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints. The suspected ESBL producers were confirmed using double disc synergy test method. Out of the 162 isolates screened, 32 (19.8%) were confirmed as ESBL positive, with a prevalence of 25.32% among sick children in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Parklane, Enugu and 13.89% in apparently healthy children in a community setting. Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli had the highest prevalence of 34.6% and 28.6%, respectively; Citrobacter spp. and Enterobacter spp. were 18.2% and 16.7%, respectively. The ESBL positive isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (100%), tetracycline (100%), kanamycin (96.9%), nitrofurantoin (84.4%), ciprofloxacin (68.6%), and chloramphenicol (62.5%) but susceptible to meropenem (100%), colistin (56.3%), and gentamicin (50%). Klebsiella spp. had the highest ESBL occurrence among sick children while E. coli had the highest ESBL occurrence among healthy children in Enugu. All ESBL-positive isolates were multiply resistant to conventional antibiotics. The emergence and spread of ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in hospital and community environments highlight the possibility for an infection outbreak if not checked.

First description of Escherichia coli producing CTX-M-15- extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) in out-patients from south eastern Nigeria.

We studied the presence of extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) in 44 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli collected from out-patients in two university teaching hospitals in South-Eastern Nigeria. Species identification was performed by standard microbiology methods and re-confirmed by MALDI-TOF technology. Phenotypic characterization of ESBL enzymes was done by double disc synergy test and presence of ESBL genes was determined by specific PCR followed by sequencing. Transfer of plasmid DNA was carried out by transformation using E. coli DH5 as recipient strain. Phenotypic characterization identified all isolates to be ESBL positive. 77% of strains were from urine, 13.6% from vaginal swabs and 9.0% from wound swabs. 63.6% were from female patients, 68% were from outpatients and 95.5% from patients younger than 30 years. All ESBL producers were positive in a PCR for bla(CTX-M-1) cluster, in exemplary strains bla(CTX-M-15) was found by sequencing. In all strains ISEcp1 was found upstream and ORF477 downstream of bla(CTX-M). PCR for bla(TEM) and bla(OXA-1) was positive in 93.1% of strains, whereas bla(SHV) was not detected, aac(6')-Ib-cr was found in 97.7% of strains. RAPD analysis revealed seven different clonal groups named A through G with the majority of the strains (65.9%) belonging to clone A. Transfer of an ESBL plasmid with co-resistance to gentamicin, kanamycin, tobramycin, doxycycline and trimethropim-sulfamethoxazole was successful in 19 (43.2%) strains. This study showed a high rate of CTX-M-1 cluster - ESBLs in South-Eastern Nigeria and further confirms the worldwide spread of CTX-M ESBL in clinical isolates.