STUDY GENETIC RELATIONSHIP AMONG ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS STRAINS COLLECTED FROM URINE HARBORED DIFFERENT VIRULENCE PROFILES USING ERIC-PCR ASSAY

Twenty five isolates of Enterococcus faecalis have been previously identified and characterized were subjected to ERIC-PCR analysis in order to study the genetic relationship with regarding to their virulence profile. Nine virulence profiles were identified according to the presence/ absence of five virulence factors; asa1,gelE, esp, cpd and ace. Most isolates (28%) were belonged to Virprofile1 asa1+,gelE+, esp+, cpd+,ace+ followed by Virprofile3asa1+,gelE-, esp+, cpd+,ace+ (20%), Virprofile4 asa1+,gelE+, esp-, cpd+,ace- accounting 16%, while virprofiles5 asa1+,gelE-,esp-,cpd+,ace+, virprofile6 asa1-,gelE+,esp+,cpd+,ace+ and virprofile8 asa1+,gelE-, esp+, cpd+,ace- representing 8%, virprofile2 asa1-,gelE-,esp-, cpd-, ace+, virprofile7 asa1+,gelE+, esp+, cpd+,ace- and virprofile9 asa1+,gelE+, esp-, cpd+,ace+ were 4%. ERIC-PCR analysis divided isolates into two main clusters named; cluster A accounting 28% which further classified into groups; 8% isolates were belonged to A1 and 20% were belonged to A2. Most isolates were belonged to cluster B accounting 72%. This cluster was involved two groups; six isolates (33.3%) were belonged to B1 while 66.6% of isolates were assigned as B2. However, no relationship was found between virulence profiles with phylogentic groups of the isolates.