Molecular epidemiology of bloodstream-associated Escherichia coli ST131 H30-Rx subclone infection in a region with high quinolone resistance

Abstract

Bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli ST131 and ST131 H30-Rx subclones have emerged worldwide. This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of the ST131-Rx subclone and characterize the virulence properties of the Rx isolates among the bloodstream E. coli isolates. A total of 297 non-duplicated E. coli bloodstream isolates were studied. Antibiotic susceptibilities were tested using the disc diffusion method. PCR amplification and sequencing was used to identify ST131 and H30-Rx, the virulence gene, the beta-lactamase and virotype. Quinolone resistance among bacteraemic E. coli strains was 51 %, and it was 98% among E. coli ST131 isolates. The ST131 isolates accounted for 16% (49) of all isolates and all ST131 isolates belonged to the extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. The proportion of H30 subclone among the ST131 isolates was 98%, and 75 % of H30 isolates belonged to the H30-Rx subclone. The prevalence of ST131 increased from 13 to 23 % in 4 years; however, there was a decrease in the ratio of H30-Rx infections. CTX-M-15 was detected in 85% of ST131 and all of the H30-Rx isolates. The virulence genes associated with adhesion, cell protection, iron uptake and toxins (papA, iha, kpsMTII, iut and sat) were more common in ST131 than in non-ST131 isolates. Most of the ST131 and H30-Rx isolates were of the C virotype. All papA-positive isolates were in virotype C. The E. coli ST131 clone has increased rapidly among bloodstream isolates. However, a decrease in the proportion of the H30-Rx subclone in the quinolone-resistant population suggests the possibility of dissemination of other virulent and quinolone-resistant subclones in hospital settings.