[The incidence of certain E. coli serotypes in urinary tract infections in childhood and their source]

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the primary causative agent of UTIs.
• Understanding E. coli serotypes aids in diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To serotype E. coli strains from children with UTIs.
• To compare E. coli serotypes in infected children versus healthy controls.
• To identify prevalent E. coli serotypes in pediatric UTIs.

Main Methods:

• E. coli strains were isolated from urine and feces of children.
• Serotyping was performed using antisera against common urinary E. coli serotypes (O1, O2, O4, O6, O7, O9, O11, O18, O39, O75).
• Strains were analyzed from 100 children with UTIs and 50 healthy children.

Main Results:

• 67% of E. coli from urine and 51% from feces of UTI patients were typable.
• 34% of E. coli from healthy children's feces were typable.
• E. coli O75 was the most common urinary serotype identified.
• 29.4% of E. coli serotypes were isolated from both urine and feces of UTI patients.

Conclusions:

• E. coli O75 is a significant serotype in pediatric UTIs.
• Certain E. coli serotypes are shared between urine and feces in infected children.
• Serotyping provides valuable insights into E. coli epidemiology in pediatric UTIs.