Virulence characteristics of Escherichia coli in acute bacterial prostatitis

To assess the urovirulence characteristics of Escheuichin coli strains caus ing acute prostatitis, urinary isolates from men with acute prostatitis (n = 107) and from women with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis (n = 76) were examined for the prevalence of sfa, foc, and 3 papG allele genotypes and p henotypes and for the production of alpha-hemolysin and cytotoxic necrotizi ng factor 1. The papG allele III and foc gene were found more frequently an d the papG allele II less frequently among prostatitis than from pyelonephr itis isolates. A higher proportion of hly(+) cnf1(+) genotype in prostatiti s strains (64% vs. 36%) was particularly striking. Both prostatitis and pye lonephritis strains expressed virulence factors similarly except for a high er proportion of nonhemolytic prostatitis isolates. Although the pathogenet ic mechanisms of urinary tract infections in men and women may differ, viru lence factors such as adhesins and cytotoxins may have important roles in t he pathogenesis of acute prostatitis.