Detection of structure Integron and identification of sul1 and qacEΔ1 genes of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from children with acute diarrhea in Baqubah city

Abstract

Diarrhea is a common infection in Iraq, often caused by Escherichia coli. It is crucial to study the resistance genes of E. coli in diarrhea patients and their relationship to Integron genes. The study collected 367 stool samples from patients at the Batul Women's and Obstetric Hospital, Children, and Civil Laboratories between 15/11/2022 and 1/2/2023. Escherichia coli was diagnosed with chemical tests, and a confirmation of its diagnosis was obtained using the type gene. This technique is considered to be a confirmed diagnosis of E. coli. A total of 50 isolates were accurately and definitively diagnosed as belonging to the bacteria Escherichia coli. The results of the test for the sensitivity of E. coli to antibiotics (Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, clavulanate, Ceftazidime, Cefotaxime, Aztreonam, Tobramycin) Amikacin, Azithromycin, Doxycycline, Tigecycline, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Imipenem, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Sulfonamides) were as follows (96%, 94%, 88%, 92%, 68%, 26%, 56%, 52%, 60%, 0%, 26%, 28%, 14%, 74%, 68%) respectively. Integron Class I was detected in 64%, with 23 isolates containing the gene sul1 and 29 isolates containing the qacEΔ1. The percentage of the sul1 gene in the isolates carrying the integron only was 67.64%. The percentage of the qacEΔ1 gene was 85.29%. Molecular detection of the integron class I structure for regions involved in the integrin structure (gene cassette Class 5, CS, 3, CS, ORFend, Sul1B, and F12R-Orf513-lnk13) and the results of molecular detection of the above regions showed that they were all present in all isolates.