Infect Chemother.  2005 Dec;37(6):319-329.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Enteropathogenic E. coli Isolated from Children with Diarrhea in Gwangju City

• Kim SY
• Cho TH
• Cui J
• Huang L
• Choi YY
• Ryu PY

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Enteropathgenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) commonly causes infantile diarrhea in the developing countries. This study aims to find out the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of EPEC in children with diarrhea in Gwangju city.
METHODS
We isolated 35 strains from the stool obtained from diarrheal patients and investigated the presence of various virulence genes, adherence patterns, hemolysis, and antibiotic resistance patterns.
RESULTS
All isolates were negative for the EPEC adherence factor (EAF) plasmid, and 14 isolates were bfpA-positive by PCR. The eae, tir, espA, and espB genes were analyzed by multiplex PCR. When the results of the four multiplex PCRs were analysed, we observed that the rate of the presence of eaegamma-tiralpha-espAalpha-espBalpha was highest. The incidence of enteroaggregative E. coli heat-stable enterotoxin (east) was 17.1%. Analysis of Hep-2 cell adherence showed three adherence patterns:the localized adherence pattern, the diffuse adherence pattern, the localized adherence-like pattern. In hemolysin assay, four isolates produced enterohemolysin. The resistance rate of isolates against tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, and rifampin was 56%, 39%, 34%, and 34%, respectively. All isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and colistin.
CONCLUSION
In our study, the rate of the presence of eaegamma-tiralpha-espAalpha-espBalpha was the highest. Analysis of Hep-2 cell adherence showed various adherence patterns. Seventy-five percent of isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 28% were resistant to four or more antibiotics.

Keyword

EPEC; Childhood diarrhea

MeSH Terms

Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Child*
Ciprofloxacin
Colistin
Developing Countries
Diarrhea*
Diarrhea, Infantile
Drug Resistance, Microbial
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli*
Enterotoxins
Escherichia coli
Gwangju*
Hemolysis
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Plasmids
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Rifampin
Streptomycin
Tetracycline
Virulence
Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Ciprofloxacin
Colistin
Enterotoxins
Rifampin
Streptomycin
Tetracycline