Extended-spectrum and CMY-type b-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in clinical samples and retail meat from Pittsburgh, USA and Seville, Spain

Infections due to Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) or CMY-type β-lactamase (CMY) are increasingly observed in non-hospitalized patients. The origin of these organisms is uncertain, but retail meat contaminated with E. coli may be a source. In the present study, clinical information and strains collected from patients infected or colonized with ESBL-producing and CMY-producing E. coli at hospitals in Pittsburgh, USA and Seville, Spain were investigated. Retail meat purchased in these cities was also studied for the presence of these organisms. Twenty-five and 79 clinical cases with ESBL-producing E. coli and 22 cases and one case with CMY-producing E. coli were identified in Pittsburgh and Seville, respectively. Among them all, community-acquired and healthcareassociated cases together constituted 60% of the cases in Pittsburgh and 73% in Seville. Community-acquired cases were more common in Seville than in Pittsburgh (49% vs. 13%; p