Ultrastructure and types of fimbriae in uropathogenic E-coli among bilharzial patients

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to study the association of different types of fimbriae of urinary E coli isolates with different disease entities. We collected a total of 57 urinary E. coli isolates from 3 groups of bilharrzial patients group 1 with cystitis [21 isolates]; group 2 with pyelonephritis [18 isolates] and group 3 with urinary bladder carcinoma [18 isolates]. Each isolate was studied for I. Fimbrial expression and type determination by haemagglutination [HA] of human and guinea pig erythrocytes. II. Electron microscopic [E/M] structure using negative staining, standard transmission and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that infection with mannose sensitive type 1 fimbriated E. coli dominated in group 1 and 3 [80.95% and 77.78% respectively]. In group2 [55.56%] were caused by mannose resistant P fimbriated E. coli. Although there was a perfect correlation between HA and the presence of fimbiriae by E/M [P< 0.01], yet E/M detected other types of fimibriae which could-have been missed by HA alone. Negative staining was the best technique in electron microscopy. We concluded that detection of P flimbriae in urinay E. coli strains may justify a vigorous antibiotic treatment to prevent development of pyelonephritis. Although type 1 fimbriae was associated with simple cystitis, yet follow up and complete investigations are recommended to detect an associated carcinoma