RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Kaczmarek, Agnieszka A1 Budzyńska, Anna A1 Gospodarek, EugeniaYR 2012 T1 Prevalence of genes encoding virulence factors among Escherichia coli with K1 antigen and non-K1 E. coli strains JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 61 IS 10 SP 1360 OP 1365 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.044263-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Multiplex PCR was used to detect genes encoding selected virulence determinants associated with strains of Escherichia coli with K1 antigen (K1+) and non-K1 E. coli (K1−). The prevalence of the fimA, fimH, sfa/foc, ibeA, iutA and hlyF genes was studied for 134 (67 K1+ and 67 K1−) E. coli strains isolated from pregnant women and neonates. The fimA gene was present in 83.6 % of E. coli K1+ and in 86.6 % of E. coli K1− strains. The fimH gene was present in all tested E. coli K1+ strains and in 97.0 % of non-K1 strains. E. coli K1+ strains were significantly more likely to possess the following genes than E. coli K1− strains: sfa/foc (37.3 vs 16.4 %, P = 0.006), ibeA (35.8 vs 4.5 %, P<0.001), iutA (82.1 vs 35.8 %, P<0.001) and hlyF (28.4 vs 6.0 %, P<0.001). In conclusion, E. coli K1+ seems to be more virulent than E. coli K1− strains in developing severe infections, thereby increasing possible sepsis or neonatal bacterial meningitis., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.044263-0