DISTRIBUTION OF THE USP GENE IN UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI FROM PATIENTS WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION AND INVESTIGATION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequent infectious diseases around the world that caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Uropathogenic-specific protein (usp) is homologous to the Vibrio cholerae zonula occludens toxin gene wich is found in all common serogroups of UPEC. this study was performed to detect the distribution of usp and antibiotic resistance properties in E. coli strains isolated from patients with UTIs. For this purpose, samples were collected from patients and the strains which were biochemically confirmed as E. coli- positive used for detection of usp gene by PCR. Also the standard disc diffusion method of Kirby-Bauer was performed for determination of antibiotic resistance. The PCR assay results identified about 57.76 % of the urine samples and 7.46 % of the stool samples contained usp gene. And our results showed that ceftizoxime (78 %) and imipenem (70 %) are the best antibiotic for UTI treatment. Keywords: Escherichia coli, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Urinary tract infections, usp gene, Antibiotic resistance, PCR