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Evidence of pathogenic subgroups among atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Isabel C A Scaletsky1, Katia R S Aranda, Tamara B Souza

  • 1Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, 3 andar, 04023-062 São Paulo SP, Brazil. scaletsky@unifesp.br

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|September 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are significant agents of acute diarrhea in Brazilian children. Strains carrying the ehxA or paa gene were strongly linked to diarrheal illness.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a major cause of infantile diarrhea worldwide.
  • Atypical EPEC (aEPEC) strains, lacking certain virulence factors of typical EPEC, are increasingly recognized pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize aEPEC isolates from Brazilian children.
  • To determine the association of specific aEPEC strains and virulence genes with acute diarrhea.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of 126 aEPEC strains from 1,749 children in Brazil.
  • Comparison of aEPEC prevalence in children with and without diarrhea.
  • Detection of virulence genes ehxA and paa in aEPEC isolates.

Main Results:

  • Classic aEPEC strains were significantly more frequent in children with diarrhea (P < 0.001).
  • aEPEC strains harboring the ehxA or paa gene showed a significant association with acute diarrhea.

Conclusions:

  • aEPEC is an important cause of acute diarrhea in Brazilian children.
  • The presence of ehxA or paa genes may be key factors in aEPEC-associated diarrhea.

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