Browsing by Author "Okumu, Noah O."

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    Genomic Diversity of Diarrheagenic Multidrugresistant Escherichia Coli across Asymptomatic Children and Livestock in Nairobi, Kenya
    (PLOS Glob Public Health, 2026-03) Okumu, Noah O.; Juma, John; Oyola, Samuel; Moodley, Arshnee; Mwangi, Kennedy; Kibet, Gilbert; Ochieng, Linnet; Watson, Julie; Ngeranwa, Joseph J.N.; Cumming, Oliver; Cook, Elizabeth A.J.; Muloi, Dishon M.
    Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli represents a critical public health threat, yet their genomic characteristics in community settings remain poorly described. We sequenced 77 multidrug-resistant isolates from children (n=59), livestock (n=17), and food (n=1) in peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya. Phylogenetic analysis revealed polyphyletic diversity across phylogroups and sequence types without host-specific clustering. We detected high-risk lineages ST69 (n=5) and ST131 (n=2) among children. Nearly all isolates carried extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes, including blaCTX-M-15 and blaOXA-1, with resistance spanning nine antibiotic classes. Network analysis revealed a stable multidrug-resistance cluster (blaTEM-1B, aph(3)-Ib, aph(6)-Id, sul2, tetA) shared across hosts. Virulence-associated gene profiling showed 34 entericassociated determinants, with children’s isolates carrying significantly more genes than livestock (mean 6.4 vs. 4.2, p=0.001). The presence of virulent, multidrugresistant lineages in apparently healthy community carriers highlights a potential reservoir of multidrug-resistant diarrheagenic-associated pathogenic potential outside hospitals. These findings underscore urgent need for genomic surveillance, stewardship and WASH to interrupt transmission of high-risk E. coli clones.