Emergence of Quinolone Resistance amongst <i>Escherichia coli</i> strains isolated from Clinical infections in some Lagos State Hospitals, in Nigeria.

Abstract

Two hundred and seventy three isolates of Escherichia coli obtained from 7 hospitals in Lagos were screened for Fluoroquinolone resistance (FQR). Rate of resistance was 22.3% showing an increase in quinolone resistance when compared with resistant rates between 1994 and 1999 which ranged from 0 – 2% then. In this study FQR E. coli was more common in patients with urinary tract infection (22.9%). ESBL enzyme production was found to be associated with most of the FQR E. coli strains. The prevalence of FQR E. colii in the faeces of healthy adults was 22.9%, 6.7% in children and 22.2% in avian. By Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) the isolates were found to be genetically unrelated with most of the isolates having different antimicrobial resistance. Emergence of FQR E. coli in our environment could be linked to abuse of antibiotics amongst humans who self-medicate and also in veterinary medicine where use of antibiotics for prohylactic and therapeutic purpose in animals is uncontrolled thereby aiding the spread of antibiotic resistant strains from avians to human via food consumption.


KEY WORDS: Resistance, Fluoroquinolone, E. coli


Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol.3(2) 2004: 73-78