Characterization of pili associated with Escherichia coli O18ac.

A strain of Escherichia coli O18ac isolated from the stool sample of a patient with diarrhea was found to agglutinate human erythrocytes. From the results presented it is suggested that this hemagglutination is mediated by pili. Isolated pilus preparations agglutinated human erythrocytes, whereas pilus-negative mutants did not. The serological and chemical analyses indicate that the pili associated with E. coli O18ac are distinct from other types found with E. coli.