title: [Genetic analysis and virulent properties of Escherichia colistrains isolated from vaginal infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Escherichia coliis able to produce different infections in humans. It pathogenicity in the female genital tract is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of virulence genes (VG) in E. colistrains isolated from the female genital tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  146 E. colistrains isolated as monomicrobial cultures from vaginal infections were genetically characterized by search of hly, iucC, afa, fimH, neuC, sfa/foc, cnF1, papC, usp,and ibeAVG. Studies were performed by means PFGE and PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genetic analysis of the strains showed two groups with a similarity of approximately 80%. The similarity genetic intragroup was approximately 95%. The results showed strains with a high number of VG and the most common were cnf1andfimH.The afagene was not detected. Were identified eight VG combinations and the most common was papC+ hly+ iucC+ afa- neuC- fimH+ sfa/foc+ cnf1+ usp+ ibeA-.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studied strains are concentrated in two genetic groups. Most of the strains contain a great number of VG present in E. coliisolated from extraintestinal infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to develop new research strategies in this area, to deepen the phylogenetic knowledge of these strains and confirm their true role in vaginal infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Chile, cpadilla@utalca.cl.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lobos
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Padilla
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial