@article {PeiranoE850, author = {Gisele Peirano and Daniel B. Gregson and Susan Kuhn and Otto G. Vanderkooi and Diego B. Nobrega and Johann D.D. Pitout}, title = {Rates of colonization with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in Canadian travellers returning from South Asia: a cross-sectional assessment}, volume = {5}, number = {4}, pages = {E850--E855}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.9778/cmajo.20170041}, publisher = {Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal}, abstract = {Background: A previous study in Calgary showed that travel to India was associated with high risk of community-onset infections with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli. We performed a follow-up study to determine the rate of rectal acquisition of ESBL-producing E. coli among travellers to South Asia and to identify the behaviours putting such travellers at high risk for acquiring ESBL-producing E. coli.Methods: The study was performed at a travel clinic in Calgary. Travellers 18 years or older who were planning to visit South Asia for a period of at least 5 days were included. Three rectal swabs were obtained, and 2 questionaires were administered (before and after travel).Results: A total of 149 travellers participated between January 2012 and July 2014; of these, 116 (78\%) provided rectal swabs upon return to Calgary and completed both pre- and post-travel questionaires. Of the 109 travellers without colonization with ESBL-producing E. coli upon enrollment, 70 (64\%) acquired ESBL-producing E. coli during travel. Of the 90 participants who visited India, 66 (73\%) were positive for ESBL-producing E. coli upon their return to Calgary. Most ESBL-producing E. coli specimens were identified as producing the enzyme CTX-M-15. Behaviours associated with a statistically significant risk of acquiring ESBL-producing E. coli included visiting India (odds ratio [OR] 19.9, 95\% confidence interval [CI] 4.5-88.8), consuming meals with the local population (OR 6.9, 95\% CI 1.2-39.6), taking any type of antibiotic during travel (OR 4.3, 95\% CI 1.3-14.3) and travelling for any purpose other than business (OR 12.4, 95\% CI 2.8-55.2). Interpretation: In this study, travel to India was associated with the highest risk of acquiring ESBL-producing E. coli relative to travel to other countries in South Asia. Nonbusiness travel, consuming foods with the local population and the use of antibiotics while travelling were associated with an increased risk of acquiring these antibiotic-resistant organisms while in India. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT01296165.}, URL = {https://www.cmajopen.ca/content/5/4/E850}, eprint = {https://www.cmajopen.ca/content/5/4/E850.full.pdf}, journal = {Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal} }