Prevalence of tet genes mediating tetracycline resistance in Escherichia coli clinical isolates in Osun State, Nigeria

The occurrence of tetracycline resistance determinants in 203 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from clinical samples at three different hospitals in Nigeria between June 2009 and May 2010 was investigated. The isolates were subjected to standard procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility to a panel of eight antibiotics was also performed, and resistance genes were detected with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. One hundred and six E. coli isolates (52.2%) were obtained at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Osogbo, 85 (41.9%) from OAUTHC Ile Ife and 12 (5.9%) from Osun State Hospital Asubiaro Osogbo. Result of the disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibility test showed 96.1% isolates to be resistant to ampicillin, 77.8% to tetracycline, 37.9% to cotrimoxazole, 38.4% to nalidixic acid, 20.7% to ofloxacin, 17.7% to ceftriaxone, 11.8% to gentamycin, and 2% to nitrofurantoin. One hundred and sixty two (79.9%) isolates had minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tetracycline ≥ 128 μg/ml. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected tetA gene in 89 (43.8%) isolates, tetB gene in 65 (32.0%), and both tetA and tetB genes in 9 (4.4%) isolates. The study demonstrated a relatively high level of gene mediated antibiotic resistance to tetracycline and other antibiotics in E. coli clinical isolates in Southwest region of Nigeria.