Multidrug resistance in E.coli in Bolivia and Peru
Resistance in E. coli was studied using molecular analysis. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying the genetic makeup of the cell and identifying useful markers for carrying out studies in the wider population. The ANTRES project also investigated the distribution of multidrug resistance (MDR) and genes for resistance for E.coli in young children in Bolivia and Peru. Nine out of ten colonies of E.coli from a large random survey were observed to show multiple drug resistance. The two most common MDR involving resistance to four and five antibiotics could be transferred together during conjugation experiments. This mimics the situation when genetic material is transferred through direct cell-to-cell contact. The ANTRES project studied acquired resistance to sulphonamides and recorded the presence of the sulf3 gene for the first time in the Americas. In addition, samples of 4 ceftriaxone-resistant E. coli were collected from urban areas in Bolivia and Peru. These samples were found to contain CTX-M type enzymes, the first time they had been reported in these two countries. CTX-M-15 enzyme was also identified for the first time in Latin America. The different mechanisms behind the spread of resistant E.coli are highly complex. The project's findings underlined the major challenges faced as a result of antimicrobial drug resistance and emphasised that the phenomenon must be properly monitored and controlled.
