Dominance of ST131, B2, bla_CTX-M-15, and papA-papC-kpsMII-uitA among ESBL Escherichia coli isolated from bloodstream infections in Quito, Ecuador: a 10-year surveillance study (2009–2019)

Aims: This study aimed to examine antibiotic resistance and the epidemiology of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli associated with bloodstream infections over a period of 10 years. Methods and results: Isolates were collected from January 2009 to December 2019 and those testing for E. coli were included. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the VITEK^® system. Selected isolates were further characterized by amplification of marker genes (virulence traits, phylogroups, and sequence types). A total of 166 ESBL-producing E. coli were recovered. The bla_CTX-M-15 allele was the most abundant. Most of the isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, cefepime, ceftazidime, ampicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam, and ciprofloxacin. No resistance to carbapenems was registered. More than 80% of bacteria were classified as extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), and the combination of virulence traits: papA-papC-kpsMII-uitA was the most common. Phylogroup B2 was the most prevalent, and bacteria predominantly belonged to ST131. Conclusions: There was an increase in the ExPEC ESBL-E coli in bloodstream infections and the relationship between the isolates found in these infections during these 10 years.