An update on the microbiology and epidemiology of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in England 2010–2012

Abstract

Historically, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are a well-known cause of outbreaks of infantile diarrhoea associated with morbidity and mortality in England. The aim of this study was to provide an update on the microbiology and epidemiology of strains of EPEC in England between 2010 and 2012. A wide range of E. coli serogroups were identified, with the most common being E. coli O145, O49 and O157. Few isolates (9%) had additional virulence factors (specifically bfp, vtx2f and espT genes) and the majority were classified as atypical EPEC. The majority of cases (86%) were among children. This included a significantly higher percentage (17.4%) of cases aged 0-12 months when compared with cases of other common gastrointestinal pathogens (P<0.001). No outbreaks were reported during this period; however, the data indicated that EPEC are still an important cause of sporadic cases of infantile diarrhoea in England.