Phylogenetic Groups of Escherichia coli Strains from Patients with Urinary Tract Infection in Iran Based on the New Clermont Phylotyping Method

OBJECTIVES In 2013, Clermont classified E. coli strains into eight phylogenetic groups using a new quadruplex PCR method. The aims of this study were to identify the phylogenetic groups of E. coli based on this method and to assess their antibiotic resistance patterns in Bushehr, Iran. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 140 E. coli isolates were subjected to phylogenetic typing by a quadruplex PCR method. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method. RESULTS Phylogenetic group B2 was most predominant (39.3%), followed by unknown (27.1%), E (9.3%), C and clade I (each 6.4%), B1 (5%), F and D (each 2.9%), and A (0.7%). The most common antibiotic resistance was related to amoxicillin (82.1%) and the least to meropenem (0.7%). 82.14% of isolates were multiple drug resistant (MDR). Antibiotic resistance was mainly detected in group B2 (50%). CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed the high prevalence of MDR E. coli isolates with dominance of group B2. About 25% of E. coli isolates belong to the newly described phylogroups C, E, F, and clade I. Such studies need to be done also in other regions to provide greater understanding of the antibiotic resistance pattern and the prevalences of different phylogenetic groups.