Abstract
Escherichia coli are frequently isolated from diarrheic children in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria, but their virulent properties are not routinely evaluated. Therefore, the etiology of childhood diarrheal disease attributable to diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) in Abuja, Nigeria remains unknown. Stool specimens from 400 acute diarrheic children between 0 and 60 months of age were studied. E. coli strains isolated were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for nine virulence genes and HEp-2 cell adherence to detect and identify five distinct diarrheagenic E. coli categories. Diarrheagenic E.coli was detected in 51 (12.8%) of the diarrheic children. The observed DEC pathotypes were enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) in 18 (4.5%) children, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) in 16 (4.0%), enteroaggrative E. coli (EAEC) in 8 (2.0%), enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in 6 (1.5%), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) in 3 (0.8%). Four (1.0 %) EPEC strains with only the eae+ gene that adhered diffusely to HEp-2 cell were identified as atypical EPEC. All the DEC categories except atypical EPEC were identified in children between 6 and 12 months of age. This study underscores the need for routine evaluation of diarrheic children for virulence properties of infectious DEC. Atypical EPEC are emerging among the DEC pathotypes isolated from childhood acute gastroenteritis in Abuja, Nigeria.
Highlights
Escherichia coli are frequently isolated from diarrheic children in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria, but their virulent properties are not routinely evaluated
We aimed to investigate the relative prevalence of selected virulence factors of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggrative E. coli (EAEC), enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) isolated from stool samples of acute diarrheic children
Whereas ETEC and EPEC were detected in subjects 49-60 months of age, only one diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) pathotype (EHEC) was isolated in patients 37–48 months of age
Summary
Escherichia coli are frequently isolated from diarrheic children in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria, but their virulent properties are not routinely evaluated. Methodology: Stool specimens from 400 acute diarrheic children between 0 and 60 months of age were studied.E. coli strains isolated were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for nine virulence genes and HEp-2 cell adherence to detect and identify five distinct diarrheagenic E. coli categories. Escherichia coli is one of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, which resides as a commensal flora in the intestinal lumen of animals and humans but can cause diarrhea by different mechanisms [3] This underscores the importance of diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) as an enteric pathogens that causes a wide variety of gastrointestinal diseases, in children [4]. There are at least five DEC pathotypes, based on their pathogenic mechanisms; these include enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), and Ifeanyi et al –DEC pathotypes isolated from children
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