Virulence Genes Profile of Escherichia coli Isolated from Urinary Catheterized and Non-Catheterized Patients

Abstract

The severity of UTI produced by E. coli is due to the expression of a wide
spectrum of virulence factors. In this study the role of E. coli virulence determinants
in the pathogenesis of UTI in urinary catheterized and non-catheterized patients has
been evaluated. The isolates were recovered from 129 patients admitted to the
hospital. Virulence genes of E. coli were detected by polymerase chain reaction
analysis for the prevalence of these virulence factors. The targeted genetic
determinants were those coding for Type 1 fimbriae, Pyelonephritis-Associated Pili
(PAP), Antigen 43 (Ag43), α-Hemolysin and Aerobactin siderophores among the
studied isolates. The prevalence of genes fimH, papC, ang43, hlyA and iutA were
88.37%, 72.09%, 18.60%, 51.16% and 79.06% respectively. The fimH gene with
88.37% had a highest prevalence of virulence genes in patients with UTIs.
Statistically in the present study, there was no significant difference in the
prevalence of genes profiles of E. coli isolates causing UTI in non-catheterized and
catheterized patients. However, all the studied strains exhibited 16 virulence gene
patterns; among the strains isolated from patients with urinary catheter showed
multitude and greatest diversity of genes patterns than strains from non-catheterized
patients.