title: An approach to uropathogenic Escherichia coli in urinary tract infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the occurrence and characterization of Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli (UPEC) in cases with urinary tract infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 220 symptomatic cases from urinary tract infections and 50 stool samples from apparently healthy individuals were included. The colonies identified as Escherichia Coli were screened for virulence factors, that is, hemolysin, Mannose Resistant and Mannose Sensitive Hemagglutination (MRHA, MSHA), Cell surface hydrophobicity, and Serum resistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 220 cases 91 (41.36%) were hemolytic, 68 (30.90%) showed MRHA, 58 (26.36%) were cell surface hydrophobicity positive, and 72 (32.72%) were serum-resistant. In 50 controls, three (6%) were hemolytic, six (12%) showed MRHA, nine (18%) showed cell surface hydrophobicity, and 12 (24%) were serum-resistant. The difference between cases and controls for hemolysis and MRHA were significant (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). A total of 14 atypical E. coli were isolated from the urine and all showed the presence of one or the other virulence markers. Out of the 18 mucoid E.coli isolated, 10 were serum-resistant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study revealed that out of 220 urinary isolates, 151 could be labeled as UPEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Pt. B D Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: K Prabhat
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Ranjan
authors.forename: Neelima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ranjan
authors.forename: Arindam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Arora