Investigation of Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern Among Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Patients Referred to Amir Al-Momenin Hospital, Gerash, Iran

 Antibiotic resistance is now considered as a global problem. Due to the increasing use of antibiotics, and subsequent increase in antibiotic resistance, treatment of bacterial infections has faced many difficulties.

 This study aimed to investigate the pattern of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from patients referred to the hospital during the years 2016 - 2018.

 In this cross-sectional study, 2250 samples were taken from outpatient and hospitalized patients (inpatients) during three years (2016 - 2018). After collection, the specimens were cultured in blood agar and EMB media. One thousand six hundred and forty-two positive samples were obtained that from these, a number of 1067 specimens were recognized as E. coli. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using a disk diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar media for eight antibiotics. The result was evaluated based on the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI).

 In this study, 1642 positive samples were diagnosed that the largest isolated strains were associated with E. coli (65%). About 241 samples belonged to men (22.6%) and 826 samples were isolated from women (77.4%). Based on the findings, most cases of resistance were related to co-trimoxazole with 52.6% and the highest sensitivity was related to nitrofurantoin with 81%.

 The results of this study indicated that the pattern of antimicrobial resistance is increasing and urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by E. coli isolates with a high rate of resistance still remains an important healthcare problem. Therefore, continuous evaluation of the pattern of resistance in different areas is necessary for promotion of antibacterial management.