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 bilharzial 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-resistant type I fimbriated Ecoli dominated in group 1 and 3 [80.95% and 77.78% respectively]. In group 2. 55.56% were caused by man- nose resistant P fimbriated Ecoli. Although there was a perfect correlation between HA and the presence of fimbriae by E/M [p< 0.01], yet E/M detected other byres of fimbriae which could have, been missed by HA alone. Negative staining was the best technique in electron microscopy. We concluded that detection of P fimbriae in urinay Ecoli strains may justify a vigorous antibiotic treatment to prevent development of pyelonephritis. Although type I fimbriae was associated with simple cystitis, yet follow up and complete investigations are recommended to detect an .associated carcinoma