Detection of neuc gene encoding capsular polysaccharide among the urinary isolates of escherichiacoli from tertiary care hospital in kancheepuram dist

Capsular polysaccharides (K antigens) are one of the main virulence marker for E. coli strains to cause urinary tract infections and neonatal meningitis. There are 50 chemically different capsular K antigens found, in which only a few are associated with infective E.coli strains.We have taken this study to detect the gene responsible for expression of K1 polysaccharide in E. coli isolates. 3/20 (15%) clinical isolate of urinary isolates of E.coli was found to harbour neuCgene.The pathogenicity of urinary tract infections by these pathogens might be crucially played by this gene encoding K capsular polysaccharide.