Detection of (aggR,SLT.I) virulence genes in clinical and environmental isolates of Escherichia coli

Abstract

AbstractA total of (134) samples were collected from inpatients and out patients attending Tikrit Teaching hospital fromboth sexes and different ages to determine E. coli genes (aggR, SLT.I).These specimens included 29 swabs fromcases of Otitis media, 35 from Wound cases, 6 from Burn cases and 40 Urine samples from UTI cases and 24diarrheal samples with respect to clinical samples, on the other hand the environmental samples (54) sampleswere collected from soil and water, of then 43 samples from soil and 11 water samples. Isolates were identifiedaccording to morphlogical ,microscopic and cultural characterstics .Identification results showed that 33 clinicalisolates (24.6 %) were E. coli. distributed as: 3(10.3%) from Otitis media, 5(14.2%) from Wounds, 1(16.6%)from Burns, 10(25%) from UTI and 14(58.3%) from diarrheal cases, for environmental samples identificationresults showed that 11 environmental isolates (22.2%) were E. coli, distributed as 6 13.9% from soil and 654.5% water. Thirty isolates were chosen from different sites of infections (4 isolates from each infection sites)and from environmental isolates to evalute the prevalence of (SLT. I, aggR) genes in these isolates by PCR usingspecific primers.The results of PCR showed the presence of aggR gene in 8(100%) chosen isolates, and SLT. Igene is found in 4 (50%) isolates and then 2 (50%) from Wound and 2 (50%) from diarrheal cases. Function ofthese genes and through the results of the electrophoresis of polymerization product of the genes under study itcan be concluded that the pathogenic strain Eenteroaggregative E. coli is the most common amongenvironmental isolates and which were confirmed in terms of gene aggR which is a diagnostic gene for thispathogenic strain in Tikrit city environment, while the strain the most common among clinical isolates arepathogenic strain Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, which has been confirmed in terms of gene SLT.I which is adiagnostic gene for this pathogenic strain at the Tikrit Teaching Hospital.