Congo red binding test in enteroinvasive and nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol. 1991 Apr-Jun;50(2):109-15.

Abstract

Out of 6 variants the appropriate media to perform Congo red binding test for enteroinvasive E. coli strains were established (trypto-soy agar Eiken, T.S.A.--Cantacuzino Institute and B.T.S.D.). 12 E. coli strains belonging to enteroinvasive O-serogroups formed on Congo red agar red-coloured, non-coloured colonies or both; cultures from 59 red colonies and 61 white colonies were inoculated in guinea pig eyes. The correlation between positive Congo red binding test and positive Sereny test was 91% (out of 59 red colonies, 47 evoked keratoconjunctivitis in both infected eyes and 7 in only one eye). The negative Congo red binding test corresponds (98.4%) to the failure to induce illness in the guinea pigs' eye (only one out of 61 Crb = colonies was Sereny positive, evoking keratoconjunctivitis in only one of the two infected eyes of a guinea pig). Comparing in vivo lack of pathogenicity in 44 E. coli strains isolated from human normal intestinal flora and negative Congo red binding test, a correlation of 72.73% on B.T.S.D. and 65.91% on T.S.A. medium was found. Developing an appropriate method based on Crb test about 70% of the nonpathogenic E. coli colonies could be eliminated from the laborious agglutination with enteroinvasive O-serogroups E. coli antisera.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Congo Red* / pharmacokinetics
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / pathogenicity*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Humans
  • Intestines / microbiology
  • Keratoconjunctivitis / microbiology
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Congo Red