title: Biofilm formation by asymptomatic and virulent urinary tract infectious Escherichia coli strains.
abstract: Escherichia coli is the most common organism associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in humans. In contrast to uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) that cause symptomatic urinary tract infection, very little is known about the mechanisms by which these strains colonize the urinary tract. Here, we have investigated the biofilm-forming capacity on abiotic surfaces of groups of ABU strains and UPEC strains in human urine. We found that there is a strong bias; ABU strains were significantly better biofilm formers than UPEC strains. Our data suggest that biofilm formation in urinary tract infectious E. coli seems to be associated with ABU strains and appears to be an important strategy used by these strains for persistence in this high-flow environment.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Adhesion Group, Center for Biomedical Microbiology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrières
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klemm
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology