Distribution of the usp gene in uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from companion animals and correlation with serotypes and size-variations of the pathogenicity island.
Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli(UPEC) is a serious problem not only among humans but also in companion animals such as dogs and cats. The uropathogenic specific protein gene (usp ) is preferentially distributed in UPEC isolates from dogs and cats compared with the distribution of usp in E. coli strains from feces of healthy dogs and cats and this pattern of distribution resembles that observed in human UPEC strains. The UPEC strains from companion animals share common O serotypes like O1, O2, O4, O6, O16, O18, O22, O25 and O75 as those reported for human UPEC. The size variation of the pathogenicity island that includes usp in UPEC from dogs and cats was almost similar to those seen in human UPEC. We propose that dogs and cats are the alternative reservoirs for UPEC strains that are associated with human UTI.
Kurazono
Hisao
H
Department of Medical Technology, School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. hkurazon@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
Nakano
Masayuki
M
Yamamoto
Shingo
S
Ogawa
Osamu
O
Yuri
Kazuyo
K
Nakata
Katsuhisa
K
Kimura
Miyuki
M
Makino
Sou-Ichi
S
Nair
G Balakrish
GB
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D044404:Genomic Islands; D006801:Humans; D012703:Serotyping; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence
D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C446159:USP protein, E coli