Biomaterial Database

Aerobactin-mediated uptake of iron by strains of Escherichia coli causing acute pyelonephritis and bacteraemia. 1988

S H Jacobson, and K Tullus, and B Wretlind, and A Brauner

Department of Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

A total of 285 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from children and women with acute non-obstructive pyelonephritis and from patients with bacteraemia as well as 120 faecal strains of E. coli from healthy children and adults were examined for aerobactin-mediated uptake of iron. The incidence of aerobactin-positive strains was significantly more in isolates from children with acute pyelonephritis (81%) than in faecal isolates from healthy children (50%, P less than 0.01). It was also higher in isolates of E. coli from women with acute pyelonephritis (72%) compared with faecal isolates from healthy adults (42%, P less than 0.001). Of the E. coli strains causing bacteraemia, 55% were aerobactin-positive. A significant correlation was found between the presence of aerobactin and expression of P-fimbriae in strains of E. coli isolated from children with acute pyelonephritis (P less than 0.01) and in isolates from bacteraemic patients (P less than 0.001). These results indicate that the presence of an aerobactin-mediated system of iron uptake may be an important virulence factor in strains of E. coli that cause ascending pyelonephritis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D007502	Iron Chelating Agents	Organic chemicals that form two or more coordination links with an iron ion. Once coordination has occurred, the complex formed is called a chelate. The iron-binding porphyrin group of hemoglobin is an example of a metal chelate found in biological systems.	Iron Chelates,Agents, Iron Chelating,Chelates, Iron,Chelating Agents, Iron
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010861	Fimbriae, Bacterial	Thin, hairlike appendages, 1 to 20 microns in length and often occurring in large numbers, present on the cells of gram-negative bacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae and Neisseria. Unlike flagella, they do not possess motility, but being protein (pilin) in nature, they possess antigenic and hemagglutinating properties. They are of medical importance because some fimbriae mediate the attachment of bacteria to cells via adhesins (ADHESINS, BACTERIAL). Bacterial fimbriae refer to common pili, to be distinguished from the preferred use of "pili", which is confined to sex pili (PILI, SEX).	Bacterial Fimbriae,Bacterial Pili,Common Fimbriae,Common Pili,Pili, Bacterial,Pili, Common,Bacterial Fimbria,Bacterial Pilus,Common Fimbria,Common Pilus,Fimbria, Bacterial,Pilus, Bacterial,Fimbria, Common,Fimbriae, Common,Pilus, Common
D011704	Pyelonephritis	Inflammation of the KIDNEY involving the renal parenchyma (the NEPHRONS); KIDNEY PELVIS; and KIDNEY CALICES. It is characterized by ABDOMINAL PAIN; FEVER; NAUSEA; VOMITING; and occasionally DIARRHEA.	Necrotizing Pyelonephritis,Pyelonephritis, Acute Necrotizing,Pyelonephritides
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D004927	Escherichia coli Infections	Infections with bacteria of the species ESCHERICHIA COLI.	E coli Infections,E. coli Infection,Infections, E coli,Infections, Escherichia coli,E coli Infection,E. coli Infections,Escherichia coli Infection,Infection, E coli,Infection, E. coli,Infection, Escherichia coli
D005260	Female		Females