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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2005, p. 1024-1031, Vol. 43, No. 3
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.3.1024-1031.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Use of Diagnostic Microarrays for Determination of Virulence Gene Patterns of Escherichia coli K1, a Major Cause of Neonatal Meningitis

Bozena Korczak,1 Joachim Frey,1 Jacques Schrenzel,2 Gerd Pluschke,3 Riccardo Pfister,4 Ralf Ehricht,5 and Peter Kuhnert1*

Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Bern,1 Genomic Research Laboratory, Division of Infectious Diseases,2 Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva,4 Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland,3 Clondiag Chip Technologies GmbH, Jena, Germany5

Received 13 May 2004/ Returned for modification 15 July 2004/ Accepted 2 November 2004

Forty Escherichia coli strains isolated primarily from neonatal meningitis, urinary tract infections and feces were screened for the presence of virulence genes with a newly developed microarray on the array tube format. A total of 32 gene probes specific for extraintestinal as well as intestinal E. coli pathotypes were included. Eighty-eight percent of the analyzed strains were positive for the K1-specific probe on the microarray and could be confirmed with a specific antiserum against the K1 capsular polysaccharide. The gene for the hemin receptor ChuA was predominantly found in 95% of strains. Other virulence genes associated with K1 and related strains were P, S, and F1C fimbriae specific for extraintestinal E. coli, the genes for aerobactin, the {alpha}-hemolysin and the cytotoxic necrotizing factor. In two strains, the O157-specific catalase gene and the gene for the low-molecular-weight heat-stable toxin AstA were detected, respectively. A total of 19 different virulence gene patterns were observed. No correlation was observed between specific virulence gene patterns and a clinical outcome. The data indicate that virulence genes typical of extraintestinal E. coli are predominantly present in K1 strains. Nevertheless, some of them can carry virulence genes known to be characteristic of intestinal E. coli. The distribution and combination of virulence genes show that K1 isolates constitute a heterogeneous group of E. coli.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Phone: 41-31-6312485. Fax: 41-31-6312634. E-mail: peter.kuhnert{at}vbi.unibe.ch.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2005, p. 1024-1031, Vol. 43, No. 3
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.3.1024-1031.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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