Gestational pyelonephritis--associated Escherichia coli isolates represent a nonrandom, closely related population.
OBJECTIVE
A select group of Escherichia coli strains known as uropathogenic cause pyelonephritis in nonpregnant individuals. We investigated whether Escherichia coli from gestational pyelonephritis represent a random population or possess common uropathogenic characteristics.


METHODS
Repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction, plasmid profiles, hemolysin, and O serotypes were assayed from Escherichia coli isolates of 57 pregnant patients with acute pyelonephritis at different gestational ages.


RESULTS
The majority of the first trimester isolates fell primarily into repetitive element sequence-based patterns 1 and 3 and O6, O15, and O75 serotypes. Second-trimester isolates had multiple patterns with high-frequency repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction 1 and 5 and an unknown (OX) serotype. Pattern 3, predominantly O75 serotype, was found primarily among third-trimester isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
It is likely that Escherichia coli associated with acute pyelonephritis during different trimesters of pregnancy represents nonrandom closely related isolates, and some of these strains may be characteristic in pregnant patients only.
Hart
A
A
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 77555-1062, USA.
Pham
T
T
Nowicki
S
S
Whorton
E B
EB
Martens
M G
MG
Anderson
G D
GD
Nowicki
B J
BJ
D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012703:Serotyping
D004269:DNA, Bacterial