Antibiotic resistance pattern and assessment of Temorina gene in clinical strains of extendedspectrum beta-lactamase enzyme producing Escherichia coli isolated from patients, Babol City,
Mazandaran Province
Introduction: Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are a common cause of various clinical infections.
Resistance of this bacteria to several common antibiotics due to production of extended spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) enzyme has caused therapeutic problems. The aim of this study was to determine the
resistance pattern to beta-lactam antibiotics and also to assess the Temorina (TEM) gen in the E. coli
strains isolated from the patients in Babol, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 at Babol County, Iran. The E. coli strains
were isolated and identified by standard laboratory tests. The sensitivity test to beta-lactam antibiotics
was performed by combined disk method. The TEM gene was identified in the resistant strains by the
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20 and by using T-test and
Chi-squared tests.
Results: Of the 10,341 clinical samples, 525 E. coli isolated of which 200 (38%) were ESBL-producing
strains. Piperacillin-tazobactam, amikacin, ampicillin-sulbactam and ampicillin (98%, 90.33%, 86.4% and
76.60%, respectively) had the most inhibition effect on the strains. Highest antibiotic resistance was
observed for ceftriaxone (43.80%) and ciprofloxacin (38.74%). PCR showed that 80% (n=160) of the
resistant strains had the TEM gene. There was a significant correlation between TEM gene and the
production of ESBL (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Resistance to antibiotics was observed in this study. Resistant and ESBL-producing strains of
E. coli had TEM gene. The clinicians should be aware of antibiotic resistant pattern to choose effective
medicines for treatment of these infections.
Keywords: Escherichia coli Antibiotic resistance pattern Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Temorin
