The role of inflammation in the formation of multi-drug resistant lineages of Escherichia coli (360G-Wellcome-203821_Z_16_A)

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are the new superbugs of the 21st century. Strains of these bacteria are now commonly being isolated which are resistant to all front line clinical antibiotics, as well as last line compounds such as colistin. In the absence of new effective antibiotics we must find new ways of combatting such infections. Data generated by our lab suggests that the main genetic difference between MDR E. coli and normal harmless E. coli is the presence of signatures of natural evolutionary selection in genes involved in anaerobic metabolism, which are utilised by E. coli in an inflamed environment. We will test the hypothesis that the ability to better live in inflamed intestinal environments led to the formation of MDR strains of E. coli, which can outcompete other bacteria and set up long term infections. We will further test if this can be countered using simple anti-inflammatory measures.