Distribution of Pathogenic Genes aatA, aap, aggR, among Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and Their Linkage with StbA Gene

Urinary tract infection (UTI) with E. coli (UPEC) is one of the most common bacterial infections among human beings. In addition to the host predisposing factors, genes are also proposed to have an important role in the occurrence of UTIs. This study investigated the distribution of three pathogenic genes including aggR, aap and aatA among UPEC infected samples and their linkage with stbA, the essential gene for maintaining of pAA plasmid. A total of 244 samples were collected from patients with UTIs through clinical laboratories located in western side of Tehran (Iran) during years 2008–2009. E. coli isolation was performed according to standard laboratory methods. DNAs were extracted from samples using Boiling method, and the presence of aap, aggR, aatA and stbA genes were investigated by PCR. No pathogenic genes (aap, aggR, aatA) were found in 104 out of 244 UPEC samples, while 14 of them were carrying stbA gene. Out of 140 UPEC samples with pathogenic genes, 94 (46.6%) were carrying aap gene, 52 (23%) aggR gene, and 80 (35.4%) aatA gene. A total of 18 samples were also carrying all pathogenic genes together. Moreover, 44 out of 144 samples were carrying stbA gene. The results obtained by this study showed that the aggR, aap and aatA pathogenic genes have different existence patterns in different E. coli strains that infect different organs. Our study also showed that these three plasmid genes in EAEC strains are able to transpose in the genome and change their level of linkage with pAA plasmid essential gene stbA. Meanwhile, this study confirmed that aggR, aap and aatA genes are not specific to only EAEC strains.