Comparative analysis of diarrheagenic and uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates: antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and genomic profiling.

This article focuses on a comparative analysis of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), two major E. coli pathotypes responsible for gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections, respectively. The study examined 400 clinical samples from Egypt, identifying 56 DEC and 41 UPEC isolates, and characterized their serotypes, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and virulence gene profiles using phenotypic and molecular methods. Results showed that UPEC isolates exhibited higher multidrug resistance, particularly to beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones, while DEC isolates harbored more virulence genes linked to gastrointestinal pathogenicity, such as stx and aggR. Phylogenetic and correlation analyses revealed distinct genetic clustering of DEC and UPEC with limited overlap, suggesting separate evolutionary trajectories but potential horizontal gene transfer influencing adaptability. These findings highlight the need for targeted infection control strategies addressing UPEC's resistance and DEC's virulence to improve clinical management and public health outcomes.