Up to 80% of UTI pathogens isolated from outpatient urine samples in Durban, South Africa are E. coli. About 5 years ago, 4% of these E. coli isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones. This has currently increased dramatically to around 11% (A. K. Peer, personal communication). The isolates under study represent the initial fluoroquinolone-resistant strains isolated in this geographical area