Antimicrobial Resistance of Diarrheagenic E. coli in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) in patients seeking medical attention at Ashanti Regional and St. Michael' s Hospitals. A total of 502 people in all were included in the study. To collect the data, a structured questionnaire was used. Participants' stool samples were examined using a biochemical technique to separate E. coli, and a two multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed to distinguish DEC from the E. coli isolates. Out of the 502 participants, 222 tested positive for DEC. The EUCAST 2022 Breakpoint for the Enterobacterales was utilized to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern for each isolate of DEC using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method (Bauer, 1966). In all, 83% of the DEC isolates were discovered to be Multi drug resistance (MDR) With an index of 81% > 0.2. The findings of this investigation indicate a high level of antimicrobial resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, and cotrimoxazole. In the study area, meropenem is suggested for the empirical care of DEC infections. It is advised that both the community and the two healthcare settings routinely screen for antibiotic susceptibility.