# Occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in Gram-negative bacterial isolates from high vaginal swabs in a teaching hospital in Nigeria

## TL;DR

This study found high rates of antibiotic resistance and ESBL genes in bacteria from vaginal samples of women in Nigeria.

## Contribution

The study reports the prevalence of ESBL genes in Gram-negative isolates from vaginal swabs in a Nigerian hospital setting.

## Key findings

- Gram-negative isolates from pregnant and non-pregnant women showed high antibiotic resistance.
- ESBL genes were more common in non-pregnant women (30.3%) than in pregnant women (25.6%).
- Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated Gram-negative bacterium.

## Abstract

This study aims to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and incidence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes in isolates from vaginal discharge of symptomatic female patients.

Cross-sectional study

Pregnant and non-pregnant women between 18 and 50 years who presented with genital tract infection and had not received antimicrobial therapy in the two weeks prior

The study determines the prevalence of bacteria in the vaginal discharge of female patients of reproductive age, the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates and the incidence of ESBL genes in Gram-negative isolates from the sample.

Bacteria were found in 74 (80.4%) and 88 (81.5%) samples from pregnant and non-pregnant women, respectively. Escherichia coli (n=48; 27.6%) occurred mostly in the samples, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n=38; 21.8%). Among the Gram-positive, all Streptococcus. pneumoniae and Staphylococcus. epidermidis were sensitive to imipenem and meropenem (100%). S. aureus was the most resistant to cephalexin (71.4%), cefoxitin (60.5%) carbenicillin (60.5%) and ceftazidime (57.9%). Escherichia coli was highly resistant to carbenicillin (85.4%), cephalexin (64.6%) and cefotaxime (56.3%). Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the highest level of imipenem resistance (31.6%), followed by E. coli (29.2%). The prevalence of ESBL genes in Gram-negative isolates from pregnant women was 25.6% (11/43), compared to 30.3% (23/76) in non-pregnant women. Both blaTEM and blaSHV had the highest occurrence of 14.3% (17/119) of the isolates.

This study found Gram-negative pathogens isolated from the vaginal tract of both pregnant and non-pregnant women to be resistant to multiple antibiotics and have ESBL genes.

None declared