Biofilm and multidrug resistance in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Abstract

Context:

Escherichia coli is known as causative agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs) tends to form microcolonies in mucosa lining of urinary bladder known as biofilm. These biofilms make the organism to resist the host immune response, more virulent and lead to the evolution of antibacterial drug resistance by enclosing them in an extracellular biochemical matrix.

Aims:

This study was done to know the association of various virulence factors and biofilm production in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and antibiotic susceptibility pattern.

Settings and design:

This study was conducted in Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana during a period of 1 year from January 2011 to December 2011.

Methods and material:

Biofilm was detected by microtiter plate (MTP) method, and various virulence factors like hemolysin, hemagglutination, gelatinase, siderophore production, serum resistance, and hydrophobicity were detected. The antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and the disk diffusion method was used to confirm the ESBL, AmpC, MBL production by the UPEC statistical analysis used: The data were analyzed by using SPSS version 17.0. A two-sided P-value of less than or equal to 0·05 was considered to be significant.

Results:

Biofilm production was found in 18 (13·5%) isolates, more commonly in females (two times). These isolates were found to be resistant to antibiotics common in use and were 100% MDR.

Conclusions:

Biofilm production makes the organism to be more resistant to antibiotics and virulent as compared to non-biofilm producers.

Keywords:

• Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
• Biofilm
• Drug resistance
• Virulence factors