en تخصصي Special Original article Original article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="line-height:115%"><strong>Background: </strong>The survival of pathogens in biofilms poses a threat to food safety. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characterization of <em>Escherichia coli</em> strains.<br> <strong>Methods:</strong> Swab samples (n=144) were collected from biofilm formed on food contact surfaces in seafood pre-processing plant in India. <em>E. coli</em> was isolated and identified using <em>uid A</em> gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The risk assessment of the isolates was carried out in terms of their drug resistance and the presence of virulence genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Phylogenetic grouping was done by quadruplex PCR. Molecular typing of the strains was performed by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> Enteropathogenic <em>E. coli</em> (EPEC) strains were the most prevalent serotype. Multiplex PCR analysis revealed the presence of shiga toxin genes (<em>stx1</em>, <em>stx2</em>), intimin (<em>eae</em>), and enterohemolysin genes (<em>hlyA</em>). Shiga toxin gene <em>stx2</em> showed the highest prevalence (83.33%). Among various phylogroups, B1 (45.56%) and B2 (30%) were the most prevalent phylogroups. Resistance to ampicillin (85.56%), piperacillin (84.44%), and cefpodoxime (85.56%) was widespread among the <em>E. coli </em>strains.<br> <strong>Conclusion: </strong>The presence of genetically heterogeneous multi drug resistant <em>E. coli</em> strains with virulence potential showed a high risk in the seafood industry.<br> <br> <strong>DOI:&nbsp;</strong></span>10.18502/jfqhc.9.1.9685<span style="line-height:115%"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></span></span></div> Drug Resistance, Escherichia coli, Phylogeny, Serotyping, Biofilms, Seafood 3 13 http://jfqhc.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1366-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 B. Francis 0000-0002-3878-9567 No Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Lakeside Campus, Cochin-682 016, Kerala, India A.C. Antony No Department of Biosciences, MES College, Marampally, Aluva-683105, Kerala, India D.P. Sukumaran No Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Lakeside Campus, Cochin-682 016, Kerala, India A.A.M. Hatha mohamedhatha@cusat.ac.in 0000-0003-0136-2911 Yes Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Lakeside Campus, Cochin-682 016, Kerala, India