Determination of S fimbriae among Escherichia coli strains from extraintestinal infections by colony hybridization and dot enzyme immunoassay.

449 E. coli strains obtained from septic infections (124 isolates), urinary tract infections (246) and water (79) were surveyed for S/F1C fimbrial DNA by DNA hybridization and for expression of S fimbriae by enzyme immunoassay. S/F1C fimbrial DNA was detected with greater frequency in septic (35%) and urinary (43%) isolates than in water isolates and was often associated with the O2, O4, O6, O18, O83, and O156 serogroups. Most O45 strains did not possess such sequences. Only 12% and 28%, respectively, of the septic and urinary strains possessing S/F1C fimbrial DNA expressed S fimbriae.