Pandemic Uropathogenic Fluoroquinolone-resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i> Have Enhanced Ability to Persist in the Gut and Cause Bacteriuria in Healthy Women

Abstract

We report that fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli are found in feces of 8.8% of healthy women, with most bacteria belonging to pandemic multidrug-resistant ST131-H30R or ST1193 clonal groups. Moreover, these highly uropathogenic clonal groups demonstrate an especially prolonged gut persistence and high rate of bacteriuria without documented urinary tract infection.