Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence of Escherichia coli in the Purview of Public Health Monitoring

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major threat to human, animal, and environment health in the developed as well as the developing nations. The usage of antibiotics outside of the prescribed parameters in both the healthcare and livestock sectors is directly tied to this resistance event. Additionally, several Escherichia coli strains harbor the AMR genes, which can be transferred to humans leading to public health problems. Depending on the type of antibiotics used, E. coli has evolved to prowess several resistance mechanisms. Resistance genes that are horizontally transmissible also encode this resistance mechanism. Different resistance genes for each class of antibiotics are encoded by resistant E. coli. In conclusion, the current chapter ushers light on the molecular evolution of resistance and the regulatory genes contributing to the development of MDR in E. coli. Moreover, we have also discussed about the inappropriate practices of prescribing the antibiotics leading to intensifying the MDR in bacteria envisaging the implementation of rigorous guidelines for proper use of antibiotics in human beings.