Temporal Comparison of Virulence-Associated Characteristics and Metabolic Activity in Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli O25 ST131 Urinary Isolates from Croatia.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Clinical Microbiology, Dr Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
- 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
- 3Department of Public Health, Dr Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
- 4Department of Public Health, University of Split School of Medicine, 21000 Split, Croatia.
- 5Clinical Department for Clinical Microbiology, Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospital Center Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the virulence-associated characteristics and metabolic activity of fluoroquinolone-resistant (FR) Escherichia coli O25 ST131 isolates recovered from urine samples of outpatients in Zagreb, Croatia, during two study periods, 2011/2012 and 2017/2018. The O25 ST131 clonal lineage was identified by rapid multiplex PCR targeting the O25pabB and trpA genes. PCR was used to detect blaCTX-M, blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM, and blaSHV β-lactamase genes, as well as the virulence-associated genes fimH, papC, hlyA, cnf1, and traT. Metabolic activity was evaluated using the VITEK 2 GN card, and serum resistance was assessed using a serum susceptibility assay. Differences between study periods were analyzed using linear regression and the chi-square test. A total of 4354 and 7717 E. coli isolates were recovered during the first and second study periods, respectively, and 170 FR E. coli O25 isolates were collected. Among the O25 ST131 isolates, 30/45 (66.7%) from the first study period and 75/114 (65.8%) from the second study period were ESBL-positive, with CTX-M-15 predominating. The fimH gene was detected in all 159 O25 ST131 isolates (100%), whereas hlyA, papC, cnf1, and traT were detected in 35 (22%), 43 (27%), 35 (22%), and 123 (77%) isolates, respectively. Compared with the first study period, isolates from the second period showed significantly higher frequency of papC, hlyA, and cnf1, as well as higher serum resistance and metabolic potential (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate temporal differences in selected virulence-associated characteristics, serum resistance, and metabolic activity among FR E. coli O25 ST131 isolates and support the need for continued surveillance of this clinically important clonal lineage in the community.
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BibTeX
@article{vranes2026temporal,
title = {{Temporal Comparison of Virulence-Associated Characteristics and Metabolic Activity in Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli O25 ST131 Urinary Isolates from Croatia.}},
author = {Jasmina Vraneš and Maja Anušić and Vladimira Tičić and Sandra Šuto and Ivana Kolčić and Tatjana Marijan and Branka Bedenić},
journal = {Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/pathogens15101020},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931172},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Temporal Comparison of Virulence-Associated Characteristics and Metabolic Activity in Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli O25 ST131 Urinary Isolates from Croatia.
AU - Jasmina Vraneš
AU - Maja Anušić
AU - Vladimira Tičić
AU - Sandra Šuto
AU - Ivana Kolčić
AU - Tatjana Marijan
AU - Branka Bedenić
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/28
JO - Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/pathogens15101020
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931172
AB - The aim of this study was to compare the virulence-associated characteristics and metabolic activity of fluoroquinolone-resistant (FR) Escherichia coli O25 ST131 isolates recovered from urine samples of outpatients in Zagreb, Croatia, during two study periods, 2011/2012 and 2017/2018. The O25 ST131 clonal lineage was identified by rapid multiplex PCR targeting the O25pabB and trpA genes. PCR was used to detect blaCTX-M, blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM, and blaSHV β-lactamase genes, as well as the virulence-associated genes fimH, papC, hlyA, cnf1, and traT. Metabolic activity was evaluated using the VITEK 2 GN card, and serum resistance was assessed using a serum susceptibility assay. Differences between study periods were analyzed using linear regression and the chi-square test. A total of 4354 and 7717 E. coli isolates were recovered during the first and second study periods, respectively, and 170 FR E. coli O25 isolates were collected. Among the O25 ST131 isolates, 30/45 (66.7%) from the first study period and 75/114 (65.8%) from the second study period were ESBL-positive, with CTX-M-15 predominating. The fimH gene was detected in all 159 O25 ST131 isolates (100%), whereas hlyA, papC, cnf1, and traT were detected in 35 (22%), 43 (27%), 35 (22%), and 123 (77%) isolates, respectively. Compared with the first study period, isolates from the second period showed significantly higher frequency of papC, hlyA, and cnf1, as well as higher serum resistance and metabolic potential (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate temporal differences in selected virulence-associated characteristics, serum resistance, and metabolic activity among FR E. coli O25 ST131 isolates and support the need for continued surveillance of this clinically important clonal lineage in the community.
SN - 2076-0817
ER -