Characterization of Virulence Factors and Antibiotic Resistance in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients in Maiduguri, Borno State

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) remains the predominant causative agent of urinary tract infections, and its virulence repertoire directly influences infection severity, treatment failure, and recurrence rates. This analytical study characterized virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance genes in UPEC isolates from patients with complicated and uncomplicated UTIs at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Sixty confirmed UPEC isolates from urine cultures were analyzed. Virulence genes including fimH, papC, hlyA, cnf1, and iutA were detected by multiplex PCR. Antibiotic resistance genes including blaTEM, blaCTX-M, tetA, sul1, and qnrS were also targeted. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution. fimH was detected in 88.3 percent of isolates, papC in 60 percent, and hlyA in 38.3 percent. Strains from complicated UTI cases harbored significantly more virulence genes than uncomplicated UTI isolates. CTX-M-15 was the most prevalent resistance gene, found in 45 percent of isolates. Co-carriage of virulence and resistance genes was demonstrated in 41.7 percent of isolates, suggesting the emergence of highly adapted UPEC pathotypes. These results highlight the molecular complexity of UPEC in Maiduguri and support genotype-guided clinical management and enhanced UPEC surveillance strategies in the North East. Keywords: uropathogenic E. coli, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance, Maiduguri, UTI.