Ugandan Study Sequences Multidrug-Resistant E. coli Strain

Researchers have published the whole genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strain designated KAB-AI-497. The bacterial strain was isolated from the vagina of a 20-year-old pregnant woman who experienced premature rupture of membranes at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda. The study, published in BMC Genomic Data, provides a detailed genetic profile of the organism, which the authors describe as a superbug due to its resistance to multiple antibiotic classes.

The primary objective of the study was to sequence the genome of this specific E. coli strain to understand its genetic makeup. The strain was implicated in bacterial vaginosis and was associated with the premature rupture of membranes in the pregnant patient.

To achieve this, the researchers extracted DNA from the E. coli strain using the MagAttract HMW DNA Kit. The extracted DNA was then sequenced using an MGI DNBSEQ G99ARS platform. Quality control analysis was performed using FastQC, and the sequencing reads were trimmed using Trimmomatic to ensure data integrity before assembly.

De novo genome assembly was carried out using the SPAdes software. The resulting draft assembled genome has a total size of 5.1 megabases, comprising 153 contigs. The genome exhibits a GC content of 50.5%. Quality analysis of the assembled genome revealed a completeness of 98.46% and a contamination rate of 0.97%.

To confirm the species-level identity of the strain, the researchers compared it against known E. coli strains. The closest match was Escherichia coli SMS-3-5, with which KAB-AI-497 shared an average nucleotide identity of 98.43% and a genome coverage of 86.19%. This confirmed the species level identity of the strain.

The assembled genome was annotated using the NCBI Prokaryotic Genome Annotation Pipeline. This process identified 4,726 protein-coding genes within the strain’s genome. The annotation revealed the presence of resistant genes responsible for resistance against several major antibiotic classes, including tetracycline, fluoroquinolone, and penicillin.

The work was published in Volume 27, article number 76, of BMC Genomic Data on June 26, 2026.

Subject of Research: Whole genome sequencing of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strain isolated from a pregnant woman in Uganda

Article Title: Whole genome sequence of a superbug-Escherichia coli strain KAB-AI-497 isolated from the vagina of a 20 year old pregnant woman with premature rupture of membrane (PROM) in a resource limited setting, Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, in Uganda

Article References: Adebayo, I. A., Abdullahi, L. A., Ngabirano, C., Mutuku, I. M., Moyosore, W. A., Bale, M. I., Ganiyu, G. O., Adeyemo, R. O., Akinola, S. A., & Lule, J. C. (2026). Whole genome sequence of a superbug-Escherichia coli strain KAB-AI-497 isolated from the vagina of a 20 year old pregnant woman with premature rupture of membrane (PROM) in a resource limited setting, Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, in Uganda. BMC Genomic Data, 27(1), Article 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-026-01460-4

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12863-026-01460-4

Keywords: Escherichia coli, Genome sequencing, Antimicrobial resistance, Uganda, Pregnancy, Bacterial vaginosis, Premature rupture of membranes, Multidrug resistance, BMC Genomic Data, Whole, genome, sequence