Aspecific adherence and cytotoxicity of Escherichia coli strains.

Two groups of Escherichia coli were assayed to evaluate hydrophobic characters and the secretion of enzymes and cytotoxic factors. Group 1 included strains isolated from the urine of patients with lower urinary tract infection (UTI) and group 2 included strains from the same sample of asymptomatic subjects. The bacterial hydrophobicity was similar in the two groups and related to their adhesion to plastic surfaces, while both cytotoxic factors (demonstrated using a microscopic and a spectrophotometric technique) and hydrolysing enymes were secreted more by the first group of E.

A one-year survey of respiratory and urinary pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

A one-year (1993) survey of the distribution of pathogens causing respiratory and urinary infections and their antimicrobial susceptibility was performed. The most common bacteria isolated from the lower respiratory tract of patients in a district general hospital were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (35.9%) and Staphylococcus aureus (21.