Environmental bacteria communities, including E. coli has been associated with recognized antibiotic resistant gene pools that have been transferred into normal human and animal ora, where they exert strong selective pressure for the emergence and spread of resistance. Even though, most E. coli are commensal member of the normal intestinal ora, some virulent strains of the bacteria can cause gastrointestinal infections along with other serious extraintestinal health complications. Escherichia coli is classi ed as either intestinal pathogenic E. coli (InPEC) or extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Intestinal pathogenic E. coli (InPEC) strains can cause different forms of gastroenteritis, and are classi ed into six groups. These are enterohemorrhagic (EHEC), enteropathogenic (EPEC), enteroaggregative (EAEC), enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enteroinvasive (EIEC), and diffusely adherent (DAEC) E. coli, while ExPEC (uropathogenic E. coli and neonatal meningitis E. coli) are causative agents of infections in anatomical sites out- side of the gastrointestinal tract, and are associated with urinary tract infections, neonatal meningitis, and septicemia. Escherichia coli can be used as surrogate for antibiotic resistance surveillance because it is found more commonly in diverse hosts and environments, it acquires resistance easily, and is a reliable indicator of resistance in other pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonellae.
Nonetheless, numerous studies on the multidrug resist ance (MDR) pro ling of bacteria have focused mostly on isolates from clinical and food sources, with little information available on the MDR pro les of potentially patho- genic bacteria from nal ef uents in South Africa. Considering the importance of wastewater ef uents as hotspot or potential reservoirs for the dissemination of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in the environment hence, the need for such information becomes imperative. Consequently, this study aimed at, investigating the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of pathogenic E. coli strains isolated from treated nal ef uents in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.