Prevalence of virulence E. coli (Fim and pap) genes in enteric and paraenteric infection

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are one of the most important bacteria that effect on people and cause several disease specially diarrhea and urinary tract infection. It have high resistant to the antibiotics because E. coli develop many virulence factor that help the bacteria to colonies urinary tract and digestive system. In this study, it was aimed to detect the prevalence of (Fim and Pap) virulence genes of E. coli in intestinal and urinary tract infection, and to determine the enhancement effect of these genes on E. coli pathogenicity. Two hundred and nine samples were collected from 209 patients have urinary tract infection and diarrhea from hospital laboratory in Bagdad – Iraq during the period of the 12th of December 2022 to the 31st of January 2023. The samples diagnosed primarily by MacConkey agar and Eosin-Methylene Blue and confirmed by the biochemical tests and Vitek 2 System. The patients include (94) males and (115) females, and the sample include (131) urine samples and (78) stool samples, the E. coli were diagnosed in (50) urine samples and all of them were pathogenic, while (61) stool samples were diagnosed with E. coli and (50) samples of them were pathogenic. Molecular detection of virulence genes was performed on 100 isolates (50 urine and 50 stool) sample. The adhesion genes (Fim and Pap) that play a crucial role in pathogenicity were detected using Polymerase chain reaction. Results showed high prevelance of both in urine than in stool samples as; (90%) Fim gene, (86%) Pap gene in urine samples, and (74%) Fim gene, (56%) Pap gene in stool samples. Susceptibility test was done by Vitek 2 System to detect the pathogenic bacteria and saw the effect of virulence genes to increase the infection, (Ampicillin, Cefazolin, Ciftriaxone, and ESBL) were the most resisted antibiotics tested while (Tigecycline, Ertapenem, Amikacin and Imipenem) was the most effective antibiotic tested on bacteria in stool sample. Ampicillin, Cefazolin, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Trimethoprim/ Sulfamethoxazole, and ESBL were the most resisted antibiotics tested while Piperacillin/Tazobactam, Cefepime, Ertapenem, Imipenem, Amikacin, and Tigecycline was the most effective antibiotic tested on bacteria in urine sample. On other hand samples showed high multi drug resistance and ESBL resistance as; stool total gene presence (77% MDR, 70% ESBL resistance) and urine total gene presence (98% MDR, 72% ESBL resistance), in addition the samples showed relation of both virulence factors with few antibiotic as significant P value of (0.006 ) for Fim gene with Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole and significant P value for pap gene was (0.000, 0.000, 0.001, 0.013) for ESBL, Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole respectively, that refer to the effect of both Fim and Pap genes in increasing E. coli ability to resist these antibiotics. The results of this study show the importance of these virulence factors in E. coli pathogenicity enhancing, to develop E. coli infection treatments and prevention strategies, and decreasing the improper use of antibiotics.