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A prospective study on Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in children with diarrhea in Paraná State, Brazil

F De Toni1, E M de Souza, F O Pedrosa

  • 1Department of Medical Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

Letters in Applied Microbiology
|February 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) may be a significant cause of childhood diarrhea in Paraná State, Brazil. Molecular methods are crucial for diagnosing STEC infections, as these bacteria can be present in low numbers and belong to uncommon serotypes.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Diarrhea is a common pediatric illness globally.
  • Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are significant enteric pathogens.
  • STEC prevalence in southern Brazil warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To detect STEC in stool samples from children with diarrhea in Paraná State, Brazil.
  • To characterize the identified STEC strains, including serotype and virulence genes.

Main Methods:

  • Stool samples from 306 children with diarrhea were cultured.
  • PCR screening for stx genes followed by DNA sequencing was performed.
  • Shiga toxin production was confirmed using VTEC Screen Seiken.

Main Results:

  • STEC was detected in 1.96% of stool cultures.
  • Only two cultures yielded STEC-positive colonies after further analysis.
  • Identified strains belonged to serotypes O69:H11 and O178:H19, carrying stx1 and stx1/eae/ehxA genes.

Conclusions:

  • STEC may be an important cause of diarrhea in children in Paraná State.
  • STEC strains identified were of uncommon serotypes and potentially low virulence.
  • Molecular diagnostic methods are essential for detecting STEC infections due to low bacterial loads.
Abstract

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