DETECTION OF VIRULENCE GENES IN ESCHERICHIA COLI STRAINS ISOLATED FROM CHILDREN WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION AND THEIR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILE

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are of the most common infections worldwide.
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) causing urinary tract infections are the primary pathogens. The
aim of this study was to identify different genes papC, papG, fimH, iutA, sfaS, ibeA and antibiotic
susceptibility of E. coli strains isolated from urinary tract infection.
Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 120 samples were collected from patients with
urinary tract infection who referred to Children Medical Center in Tehran, Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility
testing by disk diffusion method was performed according to CLSI guidelines. Thus, DNA extraction
was performed from all strains and multiplex PCR was conducted for detection of papC, papG, fimH,
iutA, sfaS and ibeA virulence genes in all strains.
Results: The results showed that E.coli isolates to amikacin (100%) sensitive and had resistance to
ampicillin (60%). Virulence genes prevalence was fimH 85%, papC 58%, papG 47%, iutA 35%, sfaS
1% and ibeA 1%.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the most common gene encoding genes fimH and
papC adhesion genes in E.coli was isolated from urinary tract infection pap Fimbriae. The difference
between the results with other studies is due to the diversity of geographic region.