title: Detection of virulence factors in alpha-haemolytic Escherichia coli strains isolated from various clinical materials.
abstract: In total, 201 alpha-haemolytic Escherichia coli isolates from various clinical materials (urine samples and vaginal and rectal swabs) were examined by PCR for the presence of genes for the virulence factors alpha-haemolysin (hly), cytotoxic necrotising factor type 1 (cnf1), P-fimbriae (pap), S/F1C-fimbriae (sfa/foc), aerobactin (aer) and afimbrial adhesin (afaI). Among vaginal isolates, 96% were positive for cnf1, compared with 80% of urine strains (p 0.02) and 63% of rectal strains (p 0.0001). Similarly, sfa/foc-specific DNA sequences were found in 97% of vaginal isolates compared with 75% of rectal strains (p 0.004). The afa1 and aer genes were associated more with rectal alpha-haemolytic E. coli strains than with extra-intestinal isolates. The results suggested that CNF1 and/or S/F1C-fimbriae contribute to colonisation and persistence of alpha-haemolytic E. coli strains in the vaginal environment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, P J Safárik University, Kosice, Slovakia. bogyie@central.medic.upjs.sk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Birosová
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Siegfried
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kmet'ová
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostró
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gresová
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Urdzík
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liptáková
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molokácová
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bártl
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valanský
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C036507:Hlya protein, E coli; D037521:Virulence Factors; C101637:ymcE protein, E coli; C060296:cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1