Escherichia coli urinary tract infections: Host age-related differences in bacterial virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility

Wei-Hung Lin; Ming-Cheng Wang; Po-Yao Liu; Po-Shun Chen; Li-Li Wen; Ching-Hao Teng; Cheng-Yen Kao

doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2021.04.001

Escherichia coli urinary tract infections: Host age-related differences in bacterial virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility

J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2022 Apr;55(2):249-256. doi: 10.1016/j.jmii.2021.04.001. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Authors

Wei-Hung Lin¹, Ming-Cheng Wang², Po-Yao Liu³, Po-Shun Chen⁴, Li-Li Wen⁵, Ching-Hao Teng⁶, Cheng-Yen Kao⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
² Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
³ Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0482, United States.
⁵ Department of Clinical Laboratory, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
⁶ Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
⁷ Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kaocy@ym.edu.tw.

PMID: 33972179
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2021.04.001

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are one of the most common outpatient bacterial infections. Although bacterial and host factors are reported to be associated with UTI pathogenesis, little is known about the host age-related differences in bacterial virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Methods: PCRs were carried out to detect K1 capsule antigen, 15 virulence factors, and phylogenetic groups in E. coli isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility of selected agents was determined by the disk diffusion method. Isolates were divided into 6 groups based on their host age.

Results: The results showed that virulence factors PapGII, PapGIII, Cnf1, Aer, Usp, Iha, OmpT, HlyA, and Sat, had highest frequencies in the host age group 0-3. Phylogenetic group B2 dominated in our isolates (59.6%) followed by group D (20.7%). In addition, 77.4% of strains isolated from 0 to 3 age group belonged to phylogenetic group B2. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed that E. coli strains isolated were significantly more resistant to antimicrobial agents as host age increased. Phylogenetic group B2 isolates were more susceptible to antimicrobial agents, compared to A, B1, and D isolates.

Conclusion: We found E. coli isolated from elders were more resistant to antimicrobial agents and had less virulence factors.

Keywords: Age-related differences; Antimicrobial susceptibility; Phylogenetic groups; Urinary tract infection; Virulence factors.

MeSH terms

Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
Escherichia coli Infections* / microbiology
Female
Humans
Male
Phylogeny
Urinary Tract Infections* / microbiology
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli*
Virulence Factors / genetics

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Virulence Factors