Author(s)

Chinedu Nweke Idakari^1*, Chijioke Stanley Anyigor-Ogah², Nneka Alice Sunday-Nweke³, Ugochi Irene Asaga-Nwali⁴, Ikechukwu Francis Agwu⁵, Chidiebere Brown Ene⁶, Winifred Chinwendu Akpa⁶, Ogochukwu Chioma⁷, Godwin Macauley Emelobe⁶, Ngozi Maryjane Ezekwesili⁶, John Aghogho Imuere⁶, Ifeoma Cecila Uche-Omovoh⁸, Christabel Chinedum Amagwu⁹, Oyinlola O. Oduyebo¹⁰

¹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu, Nigeria.
²Department of Family Medicine, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
³Department of Surgery, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
⁴Department of Community Medicine, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
⁵Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria.
⁶Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
⁷Department of Surgery Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nigeria.
⁸Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
⁹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Enugu State University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
¹⁰Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae pose a significant global health burden. These bacteria produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes, which render them resistant to many beta-lactam antibiotics. This study aimed to identify both the phenotypic traits and molecular genes associated with ESBL production in Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated from hospitalized patients in the Internal Medicine Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Internal Medicine Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba. All consenting patients admitted with clinical signs of infection were enrolled. Relevant clinical samples were collected and analyzed using standard microbiological identification methods, while multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to genotypic markers. Result: 300 bacterial pathogens were isolated, of which 176 belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae family. Escherichia coli was the most frequently identified pathogen, accounting for 32% of the isolates, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, 23.9% and Klebsiella oxytoca, 17.6%, among others. More than 60% of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates were found to produce ESBL. Among the ESBL genes detected, TEM was the most prevalent, followed by SHV and CTX-M. Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production. Plasmid-mediated resistance genes, including TEM, SHV, and CTX-M, were identified.

Enterobacteriaceae, ESBL, Beta-Lactamase, TEM, SHV, CTX-M

Idakari, C.N., Anyigor-Ogah, C.S., Sunday-Nweke, N.A., Asaga-Nwali, U.I., Agwu, I.F., Ene, C.B., Akpa, W.C., Chioma, O., Emelobe, G.M., Ezekwesili, N.M., Imuere, J.A., UcheOmovoh I.C., Amagwu, C.C. and Oduyebo, O.O. (2025) A Study on the Molecular Genes of ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Patients Hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Department of a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 13, 368-384. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2025.137029.