Characterization of Virulence Factors of Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli and Their Correlation With Antibiotic Resistance Pattern.

Escherichia coli (E coli) is present in the gastrointestinal tract as commensals and are associated with urinary tract infections expresses virulence factors which help to adapt and survive in the urinary tract. To study the prevalence and characterize the virulence factors - hemolysin, haemagglutination, biolm production, serum resistance and cell surface hydrophobicity in Escherichia coli by phenotypic methods. To study the Antibiotic Susceptibility pattern of urinary isolates of Escherichia coli. A prospective study was conducted at Govt. Thoothukudi Medical College,Thoothukudi, India for a period of 2 months from August – September 2018. All samples were processed and subjected for detection of virulence factors by phenotypic methods and their antibiotic susceptibility was done using Kirby Bauer Disc diffusion method. A total of 103 Uropathogenic E coli clinical isolates were collected and processed. Prevalence of UTI was 73% in females and 27% in males. Of these isolates, 61(59%) isolates showed Hemagglutination, 42 (41%) produced hemolysin, 41 (40%) exhibited serum resistance property, 54 (52%) were biolm positive, 59 (57 %) showed cell surface hydrophobicity. Among 61 Haemagglutination positive isolates, 40 (66%) showed the presence of Type 1 mbriae (MSHA) and 21 (34 %) of Type P mbriae (MRHA).The antibiotic susceptibility testing showed High sensitivity with Amikacin (86%) ,Piperacillin tazobactum (86%), Meropenem(85%),Nitrofurantoin(78%) and least sensitivity followed by Cotrimoxazole (46%) ,Norox(46%), cefotaxime (43%) and ceftazidime(46%). This study highlights the ability of Escherichia coli to adapt and survive in urinary tract by expressing virulence factors and establish urinary tract infections.