Multi-Locus Sequence Typing Analysis of Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli from Diabetic Foot infections in Diwaniya City, Iraq
Diabetic foot infections represent significant complications associated with diabetes mellitus, often complicated by the development of multidrug-resistant pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli isolates recovered from diabetic foot infections through Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST). A total of nine clinical samples were collected from private laboratories in Diwaniya City, Iraq. The VITEK 2 Compact system was utilized for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis. All isolates demonstrated resistance to multiple antibiotics, including amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin/tazobactam, ertapenem and imipenem, various cephalosporins, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Three isolates selected for MLST that carried out using seven housekeeping genes, with amplification achieved via PCR followed by sequencing. Sequence typing showed that the isolates were categorized into diverse sequence types: ST34, ST218, and ST10. These findings indicate that carbapenem-resistant E. coli strains causing diabetic foot infections in Diwaniya are genetically diverse. Further studies employing comprehensive molecular typing methods are warranted to better understand the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of these resistant strains.