ESBL producing escherichia coli – its prevalence and antibiogram

Introduction: E. coli exhibits resistance to commonly used beta-lactam antibiotics by production of β-lactamases. Hence, creating awareness regarding these enzymes and its detection becomes necessary for better patient care. The present study was undertaken to detect extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) producers. Materials and Method: A total of 101 E.coli isolated from different clinical samples were studied. ESBL production was detected by using combination disk method. Results: Of 101 E.coli isolates tested, 77.2% were found to be ESBL producers. They showed highest susceptibility to amikacin (91%) followed by gentamicin (69.2%), meropenem (62.8%), cotrimoxazole (37.1%), cefoxitin (30.7%), ciprofloxacin (19.2%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (16.6%), cefepime (10.2%) and ampicillin (3.8%). Conclusions: Reporting of ESBL producers along with routine sensitivity pattern will help the clinicians in prescribing the appropriate antibiotics. Amikacin, gentamicin and imipenem which showed highest sensitivity are helpful for the treatment of infections which are caused by ESBL producing E.coli. Keywords: E.coli, ESBL, Combination disk test