Assessment of biological and colony hybridization assays for detection of the aerobactin system in Escherichia coli from urinary tract infections.

A total of 466 E. coli strains from urinary tract infections (UTI) were screened for the presence and expression of the aerobactin system by a colony hybridization test and a bioassay. A probe carrying part of the genes for aerobactin synthesis was used. A total of 43.1% (201) of the strains were positive in the probe test and undoubtedly positive in the bioassay. When doubtfully positive bioassays were included, this figure rose to 49.8% (232). An additional 4.9% (23) of the strains were positive in the colony hybridization test only while 44% (205) of the strains were negative in both tests. Doubtfully positive bioassays were probably due either to a false positive reaction or to a weak expression of the aerobactin system. 01:K1:H- strains were characteristically probe positive and doubtfully positive in the bioassay. The incidence of isolates positive by both methods or by only one of them was significantly higher among isolates from cases of pyelonephritis (Py) than among those from asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) and normal feces (FN) (P less than 0.01).