The role of E. coli adhesins in the pathogenesis of urinary infection

: One thousand five hundred strains obtained from patients suffering from different clinical forms of urinary infections (UI) and dependent glands have been studied with the aim of establishing the pathogenic responsibility of E. coli adhesion protein (ADH) in urinary infections (UI). ADH were determined using agglutination techniques with guinea pig and human red cells, C. albicans and S. cerevisiae spores and GAL-GAL sensitized latex. In non complicated UI, the presence of ADH is the main invasion mechanism for E. coli. The frequency of adherent strains is very high (569/648) in acute cases (207/247 cystitis + 69/98 recurrent cystitis + 108/114 pyelonephritis + 140/154 prostatitis + 28/35 orchyepidimitis and scarce (14/184) in asymptomatic or chronic cases (6/107 bacteriurias + 7/67 prostatitis + 1/10 orchyepidimitis). A close relationship is established between the presence of ADH and clinical symptoms. The acute cases with general symptoms are caused in 85% of cases (188/216) by strains with ADH type MR specially subtype P. The acute cases with local symptoms (only urinary syndrome) are caused in 77% of cases (297/387) by strains with ADH type Ms. In complicated UI the expression of adhesion proteins does not constitute and essential requisite in order to invade the urinary tract. It is suggested that males are significantly more resistant the females to UI both parenchymal and urinary tract. It is deduced that underlying factors are more predisposing to UI the smaller the adherence rate of isolated strains is. Thus, reflux and neurogenic bladder probes are by far more aggressive alterations than prostatic adenoma, bladder tumor and lithiasis.