Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Microbiology 2008-3289 6 3 2014 06 15 156 162 EN Farzad Shahcheraghi Special Disease Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran. Fatemeh Rahmati Ghezelgeh Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Saman Nobari Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Elham Torabi Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Seyed-Fazlollah Mousavi Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Mehdi Aslani Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Fereshteh Shahcheraghi Department of Bacteriology & Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 2015 10 16 Background and Objectives: The therapeutic options for diseases caused by Escherichia coli are limited. In this study we investigated the presence of virulence factors among Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains and their antibiotic resistance patterns. The isolates were also checked for the presence of class1 integrons and gene cassettes. Materials and Methods: This study included 70 EPEC strains isolated from children. Antimicrobial resistance patterns were determined using diffusion methods. The broth microdilution methods was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. PCR was used to detect eaeA, bfpA genes. The 5' and 3' conserved sequences (CSs) of class 1 integrons and intI gene were amplified to investigate the presence of integrons and gene cassettes. Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 4 (5.7%), 3 (4.2%), and 2 (2.8 %) isolates were resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ceftazidime, respectively. Resistance rates to ciprofloxacin and aztreonam were 1.4%. Thirteen (18.5%) isolates showed resistance to tetracycline, and 4 (5.7%) were kanamycin resistant. Class I integron detected in 22 (31.4%) isolates. All the gene cassettes found in class I integrons corresponded to different variants of dfr and aadA genes. Conclusion: Prevalence of class I integrons in EPEC strains was high. Presence of aadA and dfr gene cassettes in integrons represents high distribution of resistance determinants in EPEC strains. https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/view/425 https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/download/425/202