Genotypic Analysis of E. coli Strains Isolated from Patients with Cystitis and Pyelonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection is the most common health problem affecting millions of people each year, mainly caused by a large genetically heterogeneous group of Escherichia coli called uropathogenic E. coli This study investigates the genotypic analysis of E. coli strains isolated from patients with cystitis and pyelonephritis. METHODS: During 2008-2009, 90 E. coli strains were analyzed, consisting of 48 isolates causing pyelonephritis in children and 42 isolates causing cystitis. Having identified the strains by standard methods, they were subtyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and their corresponding patterns were compared using dendrogram. RESULTS: Sixty five PFGE profiles were obtained from the genome of E. coli strains by this genotyping method. Thirty six and thirty three patterns were obtained for pyelonephritis and cystitis, respectively. Most strains exhi-bited twelve and thirteen bands and the patterns with eight or nineteen bands had the lowest rate. Genome sizes of the strains were between 1610-4170 kbp. CONCLUSION: With due attention to these results, genetic patterns showed that the strains had different clonalities and it could be suggested in some cases that the strains causing pyelonephritis or cystitis have common patterns and different diseases could be explained by different gene factors.

Identification of Helicobacter pylori DNA in Iranian patients with gallstones.

In order to identify Helicobacter in gallstones of Iranian patients with biliary disease, gallstone and bile samples from 33 patients were subjected to rapid urease test, culture and Multiplex PCR using primers based on 16s rRNA and isocitrate dehydrogenase genes for the identification of Helicobacter genus and H. pylori respectively. This PCR was also done on bile samples from 40 autopsied gallbladders with normal pathology (control group). In 18.1% of stone and 12.1% of bile samples, H. pylori DNA was detected using PCR. Rapid urease and culture tests were negative for all samples. The PCR was negative in the control group. In conclusion, H. pylori DNA was detected in stone samples of Iranian patients with gallstones but we are not sure of their viability. To clarify the clinical role of Helicobacter in gallbladder diseases, studies using accurate tests on larger patient and control groups are needed to ascertain whether this microorganism is an innocent bystander or active participant in gallstone formation.