Abstract:

Background: MDR E. coli strain are prevalent in the community and reported to be responsible for community-acquired infections, infections with MDR bacteria leads to serious illnesses, treatment failure, prolonged hospital stay and increased health care cost, although information about environmental contamination with MDR bacteria at Ukerewe, Magu, and Misugwi in Mwanza is not well known. So, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of MDR E. coli contaminating the environment at Ukerewe, Magu and Misugwi in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted by swabbing community toilets surfaces at Ukerewe, Magu and Misugwi between May and August 2022. Each toilet was given unique identification number indicated on pre-structured checklist, data will be recorded into a logbook. Toilets surfaces were swabbed by using a sterile cotton swab. Swab in Stuart transport media was transported to CUHAS Microbiology laboratory for processing. Culture was done on MCA and E. coli differentiated based on their morphology and confirmed by using biochemical tests. The isolated E. coli was subculture on MHA finally antibiotics disc for Gram negative were set, diameters of zone of inhibition was measured and interpreted by using CLSI 2020 guidelines. Data were entered in Microsoft excel and analyzed by using STATA version 15.0.

Results: Out of 358 E. coli isolated from environmental sample 92(27.5%) where multidrug resistance, most of multidrug E. coli was isolated in Magu district. Out of 92 sample with MDR the common MDR pattern was ampicillin, trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole, tetracycline (AMP-SXT-TE) 32(34.8% n=92), about one third of the MDR was ESBL 30 (32.6% n=92).

Conclusion: The prevalence of multidrug resistance E. coli isolated from environmental sample was 25.7%. The most isolated multidrug resistance pattern was AMP-SXT-TE. Generally, E. coli isolated where most resistance to ampicillin and more sensitive to gentamicin, amikacin and meropenem.