Drift of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae: a case study of Escherichia coli

Introduction . The widespread antibiotic resistance among representatives of the Escherichia coli species is an acute problem for livestock and poultry farms, since this pathogen is the most frequently registered component of the etiological structure of gastrointestinal diseases in young farm animals and poultry, and is also often detected in diseases of other organs and systems. Even now, in many farms, the use of antibacterial drugs to treat diseases caused by this pathogen is difficult due to the circulation of strains with multiple resistance to most antibiotics used in veterinary practice. It is known that over time, the sensitivity of a microorganism to various groups of antibacterial drugs changes, often quite significantly. Sensitivity monitoring can help contain the spread of antibiotic resistance and optimally select drugs for use in therapy. Objective . Analysis and systematization of the research results presented in the scientific literature on the resistance of Escherichia coli to antibacterial drugs. Materials and methods . A search was conducted for scientific papers on this topic in scientific journals and materials of scientific and practical conferences. Results . This article presents and summarizes literature data on trends in Escherichia coli resistance to antibacterial drugs. Conclusion . Escherichia coli resistance is most often demonstrated to β-lactam antibacterial drugs, aminoglycosides, as well as tetracyclines, macrolides (erythromycin) and lincosamides (lincomycin). In almost all studies, Escherichia coli exhibits polyresistance (resistance to two or more drugs) and in some cases, multiresistance (resistance to at least one drug from three or more groups). The results of susceptibility determination in many studies differ significantly from each other, which is associated with different conditions for the formation of antibiotic resistance in bacteria on different livestock enterprises. For a more accurate assessment of the dynamics of the spread of antibiotic resistance within the Escherichia coli species, it is necessary to continue studying the sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs of various strains detected in livestock and poultry farms, as well as from environmental objects.