Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative opportunistic human pathogen, which has aroused considerable medical interest for being involved in cases of urinary tract infection. AIM: Characterize the E. coli isolated both in the hospital and in the community. METHODOLOGY: A total of 200 E. coli isolated in urine samples from hospital and community were evaluated in biofilm formation assay and hydrophobicity MATS method. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed through agar-diffusion technique. Virulence and ESBL production genes were observed through the polymerase chain reaction amplification of papC, fimH, fliC, kpsMTII, bla(TEM), bla(CTX-M,) bla(SHV) , and bla(OXA.) The phylogenetic classification was based on the pattern chuA and yjaA and the region TspE4.C2 by PCR Multiplex. RESULTS: A higher frequency of non-adherent or poorly adherent isolates was observed in the community group. Approximately 85% of the community isolates were distributed in the highest hydrophilicity group (p<0.05). The level of resistant microorganisms was present at the same level in both source (p>0.05). About 14% of the hospital isolates were positive in the ESBL phenotypic detection test (p>0.05). Among the samples, 95% presented ESBL-encoding genes. The predominant phylogenetic group was B2 (78%). Community isolates showed a higher prevalence of virulence genes fimH, papC, and kpsMTII when compared to hospital samples. CONCLUSION: These data confirm the worldwide trend that isolates in the community present sometimes higher levels of virulence and antimicrobial resistance.