EXPRESSION AND DETECTION OF PAP-ENCODED, SFA-ENCODED, AND AFA-ENCODEDFIMBRIAL ADHESIN SYSTEMS AMONG UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI

Thirty-five Escherichia coli isolates from young children and women wi th pyelonephritis, cystitis, or asymptomatic bacteriuria were characte rized genotypically and phenotypically. The isolates were examined gen otypically by using DNA probes specific for the hemolysin gene and for the pap, sfa, and afa adhesin systems. Genes for the adhesin systems were also detected by polymerase chain reaction, using multigene ampli fication. The isolates were serotyped, tested for hemolysin production , and classified for their adhesion specificity by hemagglutination an d by binding specificity assays. Twenty-seven of the 35 isolates were pap positive. Results showed that pap-positive isolates expressing cla ss I or class II G adhesins were more frequent in cases of pyelonephri tis than in cases of cystitis and asymptomatic bacteriuria. Expression of the class III G adhesins was more frequent in isolates from cystit is and asymptomatic bacteriuria than in isolates from pyelonephritis. Multiple adhesin systems and hemolysin were more frequently found in i solates from cases of pyelonephritis than in isolates from cases of cy stitis and asymptomatic bacteriuria. There was perfect correlation bet ween the results obtained by polymerase chain reaction and and those o btained by hybridization.