An-Najah Staff

Strains of E. coli are divided into 3 major groups; commensal strains, diarrheagenic (intestinal) E. coli pathotypes
and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli are unlike diarrheagenic pathotypes, they
have not ability to cause intestinal disease in human, but they have normal ability for long-term colonization in the
gut. This study aimed to spotlight on that intestinal and extraintestinal infections are not restricted to intestinal
pathotypes and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, respectively. A total of 102 uropathogenic E. coli isolates were
collected during 2012 and 2015. A multiplex PCR was used to detect phylogenetic groups, virulence factors for
extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli and intestinal E. coli pathotypes genes. Results of this research showed that 12
(11.8%) uropathogenic E. coli isolates had genes that are theoretically responsible for intestinal diseases, were 10
of these isolates belonged to phylogentic group D and 2 isolates to phylogentic group A. We conclude from these
results, this is the first report on the molecular characterization of E. coli that theoretically can cause both intestinal
and extraintestinal infections simultaneously. The presence of these strains has a great impact on public health.
More studies are necessary before definitive conclusions if these strains are a different clone that theoretically have
ability to cause both intestinal and extraintestinal infections and belonged to phylogenetic groups other than A and
D. Products of diarrheagenic genes in UPEC strains need further studies to detect their effects in intestinal
infections.