Prevalence and characteristics of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli in diarrhoeal samples in North of Iran by PCR method

Abstract

Background Diarrhoea is the one of the most common infectious illnesses in developing countries. Diarrhoea still is a significant health problem in Iran. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have emerged as food poising pathogens which can cause sever disease in humans, such as Hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and Haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). STEC are defined by production of Shiga toxin s or verotoxin s, encoded by the STX gne of temperate. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the prevalence of Enterohemoragic E.coli with PCR method in Gorgan located in north of Iran and its necessary to set up the method s for detection of STX gene in outbreaks to find. Also, determined the prevalence of clinical symptoms. Material and methods This study was conducted in 2006 on 400 diarrhoeal samples. After culturing samples on different selective Enterobacteriaceae media, isolates were extracted by phenole-coloroform method. For running the PCR, PCR set system was used with specific primer of genes. Finally, PCR products were electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gel and visualized by UV trans illuminator after the ethidium bromide staining process. Results After analyzing the result of PCR from 400 diarrhoeal samples collected in Gorgan located in north of Iran, 20 isolates of Entrohemoragic E.coli were made (5%) and it most often isolated in summer (47.3%) and in children in the age range of 2–5 years (50%). This study showed that abdominal pain, fever and nauseas were the most symptoms of patients with Entero hemorrhagic E.coli, followed by diarrhoea. Conclusion Our results showed that in Gorgan located in north of Iran the prevalence of Entro hemorrhagic E.coli in diarrhoeal samples is less than European countries.