Pages: (25-37 )
Abstract
The alarming increase of antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli has posed a great challenge in the healthcare sector. This study investigated carbapenem resistance of E. coli isolated from the urine samples of patients presenting with urinary tract infections in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) and Federal Medical Centre (FMC) laboratories. Gram-negative Isolates were obtained from the laboratories of these selected hospitals, cultured, Gram stained, morphologically and biochemically identified as E. coli. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done using selected antibiotics including meropenem and imipenem. Carbapenem resistant E. coli was tested using Modified Hodge technique. A total 408 Gram-negative isolates were obtained, 248 (60.8%) from OOUTH while 160 (39.2%) from FMC. A total of 96 (23.5%) E. coli were identified, 24 (25%) from OOUTH while 72 (75%) from FMC. The total of 86 (89.6%) E coli were resistant to carbapenems out of which 22 (25.6%) were from OOUTH while 64 (74.4%) were from FMC. Samples from OOUTH had 2 (9.1%) positive and 20 negative respectively while samples from FMC had 8 (12.5%) positive while 56 (87.5%) were negative making a total of 10 (11.6%) carbapenem resistance using Modified Hodges Technique. The level of carbapenem resistance in this study demands urgent attention.
Keywords: : Carbapenem, meropenem, imipenem, Escherichia coli, Modified Hodges Technique,