Emergence of <i>Escherichia coli</i> sequence type 131 clone carrying <i>bla</i> _CTX-M genes in Guilan Province, Northern Iran

Various antibiotic resistance and virulence genes highlight challenges in clinical management and emphasize the need for effective treatment strategies to reduce the risks associated with UTIs. Continuous research is essential to improve knowledge and create innovative approaches to tackle these urological conditions. Our study confirmed the predominance of genes related to the ST131 clone, including O25, O16, H30, and H30-Rx, among ESBL-EC. We found that the <i>E. coli</i> ST131 clone carried <i>bla</i>_CTX-M-1, <i>bla</i>_CTX-M-14, and <i>bla</i>_CTX-M-15 and was expanded in our locale. The clones differed significantly in resistance, susceptibility, and relative susceptibility, only in antibiotic resistance in the case of nitrofurantoin (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Combining resistance genes in the ST131 clone can facilitate its rapid and successful global spread.