title: Distribution of pathogenicity island markers in commensal and uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates.
abstract: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolates contain large genomic segments, termed pathogenicity islands (PAIs), that contribute to their virulence. A total of 150 UPEC and 50 commensal E. coli isolates from outpatients were investigated for antimicrobial susceptibility and the presence of eight PAI markers. One hundred ninety (95 %) isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents. The most frequent resistance found against amoxicillin (68 %), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (55 %), aztreonam (50 %), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (46 %) and tetracycline (43.5 %). Antimicrobial resistance among UPEC isolates was higher than that of commensals. PAI markers were detected in substantial percentage of commensal (88 %) and UPEC isolates (98.6 %) (P > 0.05). The most prevalent PAI marker among UPEC and commensal isolates was PAI IV536 (98.7 % UPEC vs. 84 % commensal). We found a high number of PAI markers such as PAI ICFT073, PAI IICFT073, PAI I536, PAI II536, PAI III536 and PAI IIJ96 significantly associated with UPEC. PAI III536 (21.3 %) and PAI IIJ96 (8 %) were detected only in the uropathogenic isolates. Several different combinations of PAIs were found among UPEC isolates. Comparison of PAIs among UPEC and commensal isolates showed that many UPEC isolates (79.3 %) carried two or more PAI markers, while 6 % of commensals had two PAI markers (P < 0.05). The most frequent combinations of PAI markers in UPEC isolates were PAI IV536 + PAI IICFT073 (18 %) and PAI IV536 + PAI ICFT073 + PAI IICFT073 (18 %). These results indicate that PAI markers are widespread among commensal and UPEC isolates and these commensal isolates may be reservoirs for transmission of these markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samei
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fakhri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. zeighami@zums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeighami
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005819:Genetic Markers; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D044404:Genomic Islands; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013559:Symbiosis; D056689:Uropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005819:Genetic Markers