Detection ofpap-,sfa- andafa-specific DNA sequences inEscherichia coli strains isolated from extraintestinal material

P-fimbriae, S-fimbriae and AFA-adhesins are virulence factors responsible for adherence ofEscherichia coli strains to extraintestinal host-cell surface. Detection ofpap-,sfa- andafa-specific sequences performed by PCR revealed 74%pap+, 65%sfa+, and 8.3%afa+ strains in a group of 84 extraintestialE. coli isolates. Detection in a group of fecal strains showed 29%pap+, 21%sfa+ and 4%afa+ strains.pap together withsfa were found as the most frequent combination (56%) among extraintestinal isolates probably due to localization ofpap-andsfa-operons on a common pathogenicity island. The occurrence ofafa-specific sequence among 56 urine strains was 11%, although noafa+ strain was detected among 28 gynecological isolates. No strains with detected adhesin operons were found among twenty (24%) extraintestinalE. coli strains.