Association of Colony Morphotype Diversity, Curli Production, and Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated from clinical sample

Malaa M.  Taki

doi:10.51699/cajmns.v7i4.3340

Authors

Malaa M. Taki Department of Basic Science, College of Nursing, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51699/cajmns.v7i4.3340

Keywords:

Escherichia coli, Biofilm heterogeneity, Biofilm formation, Curli production, Antibiotic resistance

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the correlation of heterogeneity of biofilm with curli production and antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli.. 100 clinical isolates collected from urine, wound, and blood samples. The biofilm formation assay results showed 72 isolates (72%) produced biofilms to some degree. Of these, 35 isolates (35%) showed strong biofilm formation., 22 isolates (22%) with moderate biofilm formation, and 15 isolates (15%) with weak biofilm formation. The results achieved on Congo Red Agar medium had a range pattern of colonies with 44 isolates (61.1%) of biofilm-producing isolates showing a high heterogeneity pattern, while 28 isolates (38.9%) showed a low heterogeneity pattern. Curli production was more prevalent in isolates with greater heterogeneity. Of the isolates assessed, 38 of 44 (86.4%) curli-positive isolates had a high corresponding heterogeneity, as opposed to 13 of 28 (46.4%) isolates in the low heterogeneity group (P < 0.001). Antibiotic resistance was noted to be high among isolates with high variability, and resistance to ciprofloxacin among these isolates was noted to be at 79.5% as compared to cefotaxime at 46.4% resistance, and resistance to cefotaxime was noted to be at 84.1% among these with variability as compared to 53.6% to ciprofloxacin and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 72.7% compared to 42.9% in low heterogeneity isolates, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Statistical analysis indicated a strong positive correlation between heterogeneity and biofilm density (r = 0.74) and between heterogeneity and curli production (r = 0.69).

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