Genotyping of Escherichia coli isolated from human and water samples using ERIC-PCR method in Hamadan city

Rapid and precise typing of E.coli is a prerequisite for epidemiological surveillance and controlling of infection caused by this bacterium. The present study was conducted to determine the molecular diversity of E.coli strains isolated from human and swimming pools samples using Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) method. This was descriptive-analytic study was conducted, from 2014 to 2016. The target population in this study were 45 isolates of E.coli (25 isolates from human, 20 isolates from swimming pools sample), all of which were confirmed by biochemical and molecular methods. They were then classified using the ERIC-PCR technique. Generally, in ERIC-PCR product electrophoresis, 3-7 different bands were observed in the range of 100 to 1500 bp. A total of 21 ERIC-PCR profiles were found among all of the studied isolates, that included 12 profiles among human isolates and 10 profiles among swimming pools isolates, and there was one similar profile between them. Based on the results of the dendrogram, 2 main clusters and 7 categories (A to G) were observed. All isolates were typed using ERIC-PCR and high genetic diversity was observed among the isolates. On the other hand, the presence of common profiles among both sources indicates the possible rotation of these isolates between human-water-humans.