Multilocus sequence typing of Escherichia coli isolates from urinary tract infection patients and from fecal samples of healthy subjects in a college community

We address an unresolved question regarding the source ofEscherichia coli that causes community ‐acquired urinary tract infection (CA‐UTI)—whetherE.  coli strains that cause UTI represent members of the intestinal commensalE.  coli or a distinct subgroup of pathogenicE.  coli. Our results based on multilocus sequence type (MLST) analysis ofE.  coli isolates from healthy volunteers versus urine isolates from patients with UTI indicate that uropathogenicE.  coli has a source outside of the human intestine. AbstractCommunity ‐acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide.Escherichia coli is the most common cause of community ‐acquired UTI. In general, UTI results fromE.  coli in the intestine that enters the bladder via the urethra. However, whether theseE.  coli strains that cause UTI represent members of the intestinal commensalE.  coli or a distinct subgroup of pathogenicE.  coli remains unestablished. Here, we analyzedE.  coli isolates from fecal samples of healthy volunteers and urine samples of UTI patients obtained from a university ‐affiliated health center. TheE.  coli isolates were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). From May to October 2018, we analyzed 89E.  coli isolates from 76 (75%) rectal swabs from 113 unique healthy volunteers. We also analyzed 106 (27%)E.  coli isolates from 398 unique urine samples collected between August and October 2018. Fecal and urineE.  coli isola...
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research