title: Comparative virulence of urinary and bloodstream isolates of extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli in a Galleria mellonella model.
abstract: Extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) are a significant cause of urinary tract infections and bacteraemia worldwide. Currently no single virulence factor or ExPEC lineage has been identified as the sole contributor to severe extra-intestinal infection and/or urosepsis. Galleria mellonella has recently been established as a simple model for studying the comparative virulence of ExPEC. In this study we investigated the virulence of 40 well-characterized ExPEC strains, in G. mellonella, by measuring mortality (larvae survival), immune recognition/response (melanin production) and cell damage (lactate dehydrogenase production). Although mortality was similar between urinary and bloodstream isolates, it was heightened for community-associated infections, complicated UTIs and urinary-source bacteraemia. Isolates of ST131 and those possessing afa/dra, ompT and serogroup O6 were also associated with heightened virulence.
authors: a Antimicrobial Research Group; Center for Immunology and Infectious Disease; Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry; Queen Mary; University of London ; London , UK.
authors: Holly
authors: H
authors: Ciesielczuk
authors: Jonathon
authors: J
authors: Betts
authors: Lynnette
authors: L
authors: Phee
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Doumith
authors: Russell
authors: R
authors: Hope
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Woodford
authors: David W
authors: DW
authors: Wareham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D009036:Moths / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
keywords: Abx, antibiotics; CFU, colony forming unit; ExPEC; ExPEC, extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli; Galleria mellonella; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; MLST, multi-locus sequence type; OD, optical density; ST, sequence type; UTI, urinary tract infection; VF, virulence factor; resistance; sequence type; virulence