Cefepime Resistant Escherichia coli as a Cause of Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern in both human and veterinary medicine, where the microorganism can survive exposure to antibiotic treatment. The use and misuse of antimicrobial agents has led to the development of resistance which is threatening their effectiveness in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. Cefepime has been referred to as a fourth-generation cephalosporin because of its extended spectrum of activity and stability to beta-lactamase hydrolysis Escherichia coli is the main uropathogen causing both community as well as hospital-acquired UTI. It is thus important to understand its local resistance patterns in order to select the empirical antibiotic treatment. In a previous issue, Saleem et al (2020) reports the majority of the clinical isolates of E.coli were resistant to cefepime with more prevalence in lower age group patients. It is essential to continue the epidemiological surveillance of UTI-causing strains in risk populations and alert public health authorities to limit and rationalize antimicrobial use.