The increased serum survival gene iss has long been recognized for its role in extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) virulence. iss has been identified as a distinguishing trait of avian ExPEC but not of human ExPEC. This gene has been localized to large virulence plasmids and shares strong similarities with the bor gene from bacteriophage lambda. Here, we demonstrate that three a...

The hemolytic, uropathogenic Escherichia coli 536 (O6:K15:H31) contains two inserts in its chromosome (insert I and insert II), both of which carried hly genes, were rather unstable, and were deleted spontaneously with a frequency of 10(-3) to 10(-4). These inserts were not found in the chromosome of two nonhemolytic E. coli strains, whereas the chromosomal sequences adjacent to these inserts a...

Mucosal pathogens trigger a local innate host response by activating epithelial cells. Bacterial adherence and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling have been implicated as key events in this process. This study addressed the molecular basis of the epithelial response to gram-negative infection in the human urinary tract. Mucosal biopsies were obtained from kidneys, ureters, and bladders of pat...

Uncomplicated infections of the urinary tract, caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli, are among the most common diseases requiring medical intervention. A preventive vaccine to reduce the morbidity and fiscal burden these infections have upon the healthcare system would be beneficial. Here, we describe the results of a large-scale selection process that incorporates bioinformatic, genomic, t...

OBJECTIVES To screen methanolic leaf extracts of 21 timber-yielding plants for antibacterial activity against nine species of uropathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples of a hospital (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginos...

In this study diarrheagenic and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains were comparatively characterized according to serotype, hemolytic activity, protein polymorphism among housekeeping enzymes, phylogenetic group and urovirulence genes. Intra-serogroup/serotype variations were observed. Hemolytic activity was detected in 100%, 93%, 67% and 39% of UPEC, EAEC, EPEC and ETEC strains, resp...

Escherichia coli ordinarily resides in the lower gastrointestinal tract in humans, but some strains, known as Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), are also adapted to the relatively harsh environment of the urinary tract. Infections of the urine, bladder and kidneys by UPEC may lead to potentially fatal bloodstream infections. To survive this range of conditions, UPEC strains must have broad and flexi...

The pathogenicity of Escherichia coli O78 strain K46, originally isolated from an outbreak of septicemia in neonatal lambs, was investigated in zebrafish embryo and murine models of infection. Its biofilm potential, cellulose production, and the expression of type 1 pili and curli fimbriae were measured by in vitro assays. The strain was highly pathogenic in the zebrafish embryo model of infect...