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Pathogenic enteric Escherichia coli in children with and without diarrhea in Maputo, Mozambique

Paola Rappelli1, Elena Folgosa, Maria Letizia Solinas

  • 1Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Divisione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Università di Sassari, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Sassari, Italy.

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology
|December 21, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study identified potentially diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in Mozambican children, finding enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains in both symptomatic and asymptomatic children.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) are a significant cause of childhood diarrhea globally.
  • Limited data exists on the prevalence and types of diarrheagenic E. coli in Mozambique.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the circulation of potentially diarrheagenic E. coli strains in children under seven in Mozambique.
  • To characterize the virulence factors and adhesion patterns of isolated E. coli strains.

Main Methods:

  • Collected E. coli strains from symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Maputo, Mozambique.
  • Screened isolates for virulence-associated genes (st, lt, eae, bfpA, stx1, stx2, ial) using multiplex PCR.
  • Assessed in vitro adhesion and cytotoxicity on cell cultures.

Main Results:

  • Identified 37 E. coli isolates harboring virulence genes: 18 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), 16 enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and 3 enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC).
  • ETEC and EPEC strains were found in both symptomatic and asymptomatic children.
  • No enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strains (stx1, stx2 positive) were detected.
  • Classified 167 strains as diffusely adhering and 67 as enteroaggregative based on cell adhesion.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first report on potentially diarrheagenic E. coli in Mozambique.
  • Both ETEC and EPEC are circulating in the studied pediatric population.
  • Further research is needed to understand the clinical impact and transmission dynamics of these E. coli strains in the region.

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