Background:Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of main health problems caused by many microorganisms, including uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC strains are the most frequent pathogens responsible for 85% and 50% of community and hospital acquired UTIs, respectively. UPEC strains have special virulence factors, including type 1 fimbriae, which can result in worsening of UTIs.Objectives:This study was performed to detect type 1 fimbriae (the FimH gene) among UPEC strains by molecular method.Materials and Methods:A total of 140 isolated E. coli strains from patients with UTI were identified using biochemical tests and then evaluated for the FimH gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.Results:The UPEC isolates were identified using biochemical tests and were screened by PCR. The fimH gene was amplified using specific primers and showed a band about 164 bp. The FimH gene was found in 130 isolates (92.8%) of the UPEC strains. Of 130 isolates positive for the FimH gene, 62 (47.7%) and 68 (52.3%) belonged to hospitalized patients and outpatients, respectively.Conclusions:The results of this study indicated that more than 90% of E. coli isolates harbored the FimH gene. The high binding ability of FimH could result in the increased pathogenicity of E. coli; thus, FimH could be used as a possible diagnostic marker and/or vaccine candidate.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most frequent health problems and uropathogenic Escherichia coli is the major pathogen resulting in UTIs. Sever forms of UTIs are caused by expression of a large range of virulence factors. In this study, we evaluated the allelic frequency fimH gene, in uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (UPECs) isolated from patients with UTIs. This study also aimed at determining the roles of C640T and T591A SNPs of the fimH gene in the ability of UPEC to cause UTIs. Materials and Methods: A total of 140 UPEC strains isolated from patients with UTIs were screened by PCR-RFLP to determine the prevalence of the fimH gene C640T and T591A SNPs in UPEC strains isolated from patients attending educational hospitals in Shahrekord. The genotyping of C640T and T591A SNPs was performed using Bme1390I and BseNI restriction enzymes, respectively through PCR-RFLP method. Results: There were no significant association between C640T and T591A SNPs of fimH gene and the ability of UPEC fimH variants to cause UTIs in the studied E.coli isolates. Conclusion: FimH is one of the major virulence factors among UPECs which is confirmed in most E.coli isolates. Further studies are required to determine the association between different fimH gene SNPs of isolated UPECs from patients with UTIs and the ability of UPEC fimH variants to cause UTIs.