P fimbriae and aerobactin as intestinal colonization factors for Escherichia coli in Pakistani infants.
The carriage rate of a range of virulence genes was compared between resident and transient Escherichia coli strains obtained from the rectal flora of 22 home-delivered Pakistani infants 0-6 months old. Genes for the following virulence factors were assessed using multiplex PCR: P, type 1 and S fimbriae, three P fimbrial adhesin varieties, Dr haemagglutinin, K1 and K5 capsule, haemolysin and aerobactin. The E. coli strains examined here differed from those previously obtained from hosts in Western Europe in a lower prevalence of genes for P, S and type 1 fimbriae, K1 capsule and haemolysin. Nevertheless, genes for P fimbriae, the class II variety of papG adhesin, and aerobactin were significantly more common among resident than transient strains, as previously observed in a Swedish study. The results suggest that P fimbriae and aerobactin, previously implicated as virulence factors for urinary tract infection, might contribute to persistence of E. coli in the normal intestinal microflora.
Nowrouzian
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Department of Clinical Immunology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Wold
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AE
Adlerberth
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D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; C031819:aerobactin