title: Pathogenesis of bacteriuria in elderly women: the role of Escherichia coli adherence to vaginal epithelial cells.
abstract: In vitro Escherichia coli adherence to exfoliated epithelial cells obtained from a group of elderly women was compared with adherence values in young healthy women in an attempt to define the role of adherence as an independent host risk factor for the acquisition of bacteriuria. Utilizing four uropathogenic strains of E. coli possessing differing fimbrial adherence mechanisms, no evidence was found of increased adherence receptivity of vaginal epithelial cells for bacteria in elderly women. In contrast, there was evidence of significantly reduced attachment of two of four strains in the elderly women (p less than .02). Based upon preliminary studies using four E. coli strains, susceptibility to bacterial adherence does not appear to be a mechanism responsible for the increased frequency of E. coli bacteriuria in elderly women.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000209:etiology*; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*