Correlation between uropathogenic properties ofEscherichia colifrom urinary tract infections and the antibody-coated bacteria test and comparison with faecal strains

Abstract

SummaryStrains ofEscherichia coliisolated from adult females with symptomatic urinary tract infection were found to possess the following properties significantly more frequently than faecal strains: (i) high K-antigen titre; (ii) haemolysin; (iii) type 1 pili; (iv) mannose-resistant haemagglutination; (v) fermentation of dulcitol and salicin; (vi) O serotype 2, 6 and 75; (vii) H serotype 1.E. coliisolated from urine specimens containing significant numbers of antibody-coated bacteria were richer in these seven properties than strains from urines without detectable antibody-coated bacteria.The O and H serotypes ofE. coliobtained from patients with urinary tract infection in two New Zealand cities were compared with those reported in the world literature and found to be similar.