Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin and Chemokine CXC Motif Ligand-1 as Novel Biomarkers in Patients Infected with a Co-Infection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Entamoeba histolytica

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

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Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Iraq

Abstract

Background: The Co-infection with the E. coli O157:H7 and E. histolytica elicits a strong inflammatory response, largely driven by the effects of the toxin, which damages endothelial cells and induces the activation of immune cells. Objective: The study aims to evaluate the immunological role of NGAL and CXCL-1 in patients infected with a co-infection of E. coli O157:H7 and E. histolytica. Methodology: A case-control study was performed, including 60 healthy individuals in the control group, 30 patients with co-infection by E. coli O157:H7 and E. histolytica, and 30 patients infected by E. histolytica alone. E. coli O157:H7 was diagnosed by chromogenic agar and PCR, and E. histolytica was diagnosed by wet mount examination with 0.85% saline and Lugol’s iodine. The patients’ blood levels of NGAL, and CXCL-1 were assessed by the ELISA technique. Results: The patients with co-infections (E. coli O157:H7 and E. histolytica) had a significantly higher level of NGAL (346.2 ± 12.97 ng/ml) than the patients with E. histolytica infection alone (238.4 ± 14.99 ng/ml), (both significantly higher than the normal value (96.40 ± 6.78 ng/ml)) (P < 0.0001. Consistently, CXCL-1 levels also significantly increased in co-infected patients (48.09 ± 3.87 ng/ml) as well as in patients with E. histolytica infection alone (30.19 ± 1.41 ng/ml) compared to their normal levels (15.06 ± 0.61 ng/ml) (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Infection with co-pathogens of E. coli O157:H7 and E. histolytica elicits a more robust inflammatory response, as evidenced by increased levels of NGAL and CXCL-1 in this study.

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