PLASMID DISTRIBUTION IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI URINARY ISOLATES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO AEROBACTIN AND COLICIN PRODUCTION

Plasmids were detected in 31 out of 35 strains of Escherichia coli iso lated from unclassified cases of urinary tract infection at a median v alue of 1.88 plasmid bands per isolate. The isolates showed an associa tion of aerobactin and colicin production with the distribution of pla smid bands having a median value of 2.33 and 1.72 (plasmid bands per i solate) in aerobactin-positive and aerobadin-negative strains respecti vely. For colicin producers, the median plasmid bands per isolate was 3.66 compared to 1.80 for colicin-negative strains.