Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Molecular Characterization of Escherichia coli Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Isolated from Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital in Lomé, Togo

The aim of this study is to describe the antibiotic profile and identify the molecular type of beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolated from clinical specimens at Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital in Lome. The study span from 1st March 2009 to 31st December 2010. We collected fifty-three isolates of Escherichia coli, identified by api20Eâ. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method in an agar plate and PCR for molecular characterization. During the two years surveillance periods, 1156 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were collected from which, 300 (25.95%) were beta-lactamase producing bacteria. Amongst these 300 strains, 53 (17.67%) were E. coli ESBL-producer and they were all (100%) sensitive to imipenem; 33.96% for cefoxitin, 7.55% and 5.66% for ceftazidime and ceftriaxone, respectively, despite the production of beta-lactamase. The resistance to quinolones associated with resistance to beta-lactams exceeds 90% while moderate in aminoglycosides from 16.98% to 75%. Among 53 bacterial strains of E. coli producing beta-lactamase, 52/53 (98.11%) carried the blaTEM gene, 1/53 (1.89%) carry neither TEM gene nor SHV gene. Our findings suggest an emergence of multi-resistance E. coli ESBL-producer strains, probably clonal, in Togo.  A better knowledge of the epidemiology of resistance will improve the therapeutic management of patients while reducing the prescription of large spectrum antibiotics.