THE ASSOCIATION OF ABO-ANTIGEN, P-1-ANTIG EN AND LEWIS-ANTIGEN TO VIRULENCE PROPERTIES OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS IN PATIENTS WITH NONOBSTRUCTIVE PYELONEPHRITIS

In 59 patients with nonobstructive pyelonephritis ABO-, P-1 and Lewis- blood-group phenotypes as well as the secretor status were investigate d and correlated to virulence properties of E. coli strains. Pathogeni city was determined in 144 E. coli strains over three years. Most freq uently the ability to produce hydroxamate/aerobactin (n = 47/33%) and mannose-resistant hemagglutination (n = 44/31%), less frequently hemol ysin formation (n = 38/27%) and K1-antigen (n = 12/8%) were detected. In the long-term follow-up, the decrease of virulence properties of E. coli was striking. Patients with P-1-antigen (n = 40/76%) had fewer m icroorganisms with the ability to produce hemolysin and mannose-resist ant hemagglutination (p less than or equal to 0,05). This correlation was increased in patients with blood-group B (n = 13/23%), especially in the presence of B-secretors (n = 9/16%; p less than or equal to 0,0 08). Non-secretors or Le(a+)-phenotype (n = 9/17%) had significantly m ore strains with K1-antigen (p less than or equal to 0,0004). The phen otypic expression of virulence properties of E. coli is quire probably determined by host-specific factors, the antigens P-1 and B as the se cretor status playing some role as well.