Prevalence of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli in children from León, Nicaragua

Abstract

, a total of 526 faecal samples from children aged 0-60 months (381 with and 145 without diarrhoea) from Leó n, Nicaragua, were studied. In order to detect five different diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes simultaneously [enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC)], a mixture of eight primer pairs was used in a single PCR. At least one diarrhoeagenic E. coli pathotype was detected in 205 samples (53.8 %) of the diarrhoea group and in 77 samples (53.1 %) in the non-diarrhoea group. ETEC was detected significantly more often in children with diarrhoea (20.5 %) than in children without diarrhoea (8.3 %) (P50.001). Atypical EPEC, EIEC and EAEC were detected with slightly lower frequencies in children with (16.0, 0.8 and 27.8 %, respectively) than in children without (20.7, 1.4 and 33.1 %, respectively) diarrhoea. EHEC was only detected in children with diarrhoea (2.1 %). In conclusion, ETEC continues to be an important agent associated with diarrhoea in children from Leó n, Nicaragua. Although not very frequent, the only findings that were 100 % associated with diarrhoea were ETEC estA (4.7 %) and EHEC (2.1 %). Nevertheless, EAEC and EPEC were also frequent pathotypes in the population under study. In children with severe diarrhoea, more than half had EAEC, ETEC or EPEC, and EAEC was the most prevalent pathotype.

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes isolated from children with diarrhea in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria

“…ETEC was the dominant pathotype detected in children 6-12 months of age while EPEC was dominant in children 13-24 months of age in this study. The prevalence of EPEC in the 13-24 months age group conforms to the report that EPEC infection is primarily a disease of infants younger than two years of age [35]. The detection of atypical EPEC in Abuja, Nigeria, is in consonance with recent findings in developing and developed countries of increased isolation of atypical EPEC [37].…”

“…In Lagos, Nigeria, an earlier hospital-based study reported an established relationship between fever, vomiting, and hospitalization of diarrheic children [34]. Nonetheless, our data support the suggestion that infections with any of the diarrheagenic E.coli pathotypes are indistinguishable on the basis of clinical findings [35].…”

“…This occurrence further stresses the fact that nonbloody diarrhea does not rule out EHEC infection [18]. Comparatively, Vilchez et al [35] identified a few EHEC strains from children with diarrhea. Therefore, our finding is in concurrence with the low prevalence of EHEC infection in developing countries [47,35].…”

“…Comparatively, Vilchez et al [35] identified a few EHEC strains from children with diarrhea. Therefore, our finding is in concurrence with the low prevalence of EHEC infection in developing countries [47,35]. Evidently, the carrier rates of these pathogens have been judged to be as low as < 1% [9].…”

Gut Microbiome Composition in Young Nicaraguan Children During Diarrhea Episodes and Recovery

“…Positive E. coli cultures were assayed by multiplex PCR for the following pathotypes: enteropathogenic E.coli, enterotoxigenic E. coli, enteroaggregative E. coli, enteroinvasive E. coli, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli, as described by Vilchez. 15 Direct microscopy was used for detection of the parasitic enteropathogens, with concentration and acid-fast staining for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp., as described by Garcia. 16 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and sequencing data analysis.…”