Detection & characterization of necrotoxin producing Escherichia coli (NTEC) from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI)

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a serious health problem affecting millions of people each year. Although appreciable work on various aspects of UTI including aetiology per se has been done, information on the emerging pathogens like necrotoxigenic Escherichia coli (NTEC) is largely lacking in India. In the present study E. coli isolates from patients with urinary tract infection from northeastern India were investigated for detection and characterization of NTEC. METHODS: E. coli isolated and identified from urine samples of patients with UTI were serotyped. Antibiogram was determined by disc diffusion test. Plasmid profile was also determined. Virulence genes of NTEC (cnf1, cnf2, pap, aer, sfa, hly, afa) were detected by PCR assay. E.coli isolates carrying cnf gene (s) were identified as NTEC. RESULTS: A total of 550 E. coli were isolated and tested for the presence of cnf genes. Of these, 84 (15.27%) belonged to NTEC. The cnf1 gene was present in 52 (61.9%) isolates, cnf2 in 23 (27.4%) and 9 (10.7%) carried both cnf1 and cnf2 genes. All the NTEC strains were found to harbour the pap and aer genes. Serogroup O4 was found to be the most common among the 12 serogroups identified amongst the NTEC isolates. Majority of the isolates (96.4%) were sensitive to furazolidone and were highly resistant to ampicillin. NTEC were found to harbour different numbers of plasmids (1 to 7). No association was observed between the number of plasmids and the antibiotic resistance of the isolates. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study showed that about 15 per cent of E. coli isolates associated with UTI belonged to NTEC. More studies need to be done from other parts of the country.