The College of Science at the University of Basrah organized a seminar entitled “Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from clinical samples” presented by the graduate student Basha’aer Khalaf Ismael.
Due to the scarcity of studies on isolating this dangerous pathogenic bacterium from urinary tract infections, the study aimed to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among patients with diarrhea and urinary tract infections in Basrah hospitals. The study also aimed to identify their virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eaeA, rfbE, fliC) in order to provide updated local data that contribute to enhancing the epidemiological understanding of this strain.
The results showed that some E. coli O157:H7 isolates were positive for all toxin genes, while others lacked one or more of them. The study also included a comparison of the diagnostic methods used (cultural, biochemical, and molecular), as well as an evaluation of their antimicrobial resistance and a comparison of the susceptibility of E. coli O157:H7 isolates with other E. coli isolates, with the aim of suggesting effective therapeutic options.
The findings revealed clear differences in drug susceptibility patterns among the isolates, and showed the absence of virulence genes in the other E. coli isolates.