Fecal Carriage of Colibactin-Encoding Escherichia coli Associated With Colorectal Cancer Among a Student Populace

Paul A Akinduti; Ovbiosa O Izevbigie; Omobolanle A Akinduti; Ezekiel O Enwose; Emmanuel O Amoo

doi:10.1093/ofid/ofae106

Fecal Carriage of Colibactin-Encoding Escherichia coli Associated With Colorectal Cancer Among a Student Populace

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2024 Feb 26;11(4):ofae106. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae106. eCollection 2024 Apr.

Authors

Paul A Akinduti¹, Ovbiosa O Izevbigie¹, Omobolanle A Akinduti², Ezekiel O Enwose³, Emmanuel O Amoo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Microbiology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
² Department of Nursing, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
³ Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro Abeokuta, Nigeria.
⁴ Demography and Social Statistics, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.

Abstract

Fecal carriage of the colibactin (clb) gene in Escherichia coli is described as a source that could promote carcinogenesis, progressing to colorectal cancer. The present study investigated the demographic, dietary, and antibiotic consumption variables as correlates for fecal carriage of clb+/E coli among the student populace. In a randomized cross-sectional survey, E coli (N = 136) from the fecal samples of eligible students were characterized and evaluated for antibiotic resistance, β-lactamase (blm), biofilm, virulence factor production, and strain tryptophan reverse mutagenic activity. The encoded clb+/E coli were analyzed for correlates with principal component analysis. Of all the E coli strains, a low rate of 2 clb+/E coli (1.5%) and higher rates of biofilm (13.2%) and blm producers (11.8%) were recorded among the mutant strains as compared with the nonmutant types. All the clb+/E coli showed complete resistance to amoxicillin, Augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanate), gentamicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The fecal clb-encoded E coli (1.5%) were not associated with demographic status, fiber-based food (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 56.74-138.7; P = .213), alcohol (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 61.74-147.1; P = .221), antibiotic consumptions (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 61.29-145.3; P = .222), and handwashing (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 60.19-145.5; P = .216). The hierarchical cluster of blm+/E coli revealed high-level resistance with a multiantibiotic resistance index ≥0.2 (P < .05). Only 12% of all strains were tryptophan mutant/blm+, and 1.5% of clb+/EC^blm+ were observed in fecal samples with a 452-base pair size. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and biofilm production positively regressed with clb expression (P > .05). Principal component analysis score plot indicated an association of clb+/EC^blm+ with dietary pattern, alcohol, blm, and hemolysin production. The combined activity of blm and biofilm production in the gut microbiota could promote clb+/E coli colonization, facilitating genotoxin production and possible colorectal cancer induction.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; antibiotics; colibactin; colorectal cancer; fecal.