Prevalence and genetic characteristics of Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli from patients with diarrhoea in Maasailand, Kenya

Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli strains are food-borne bacterial pathogens that may cause haemorrhagic colitis (HC) in humans which can lead to life-threatening systemic complication, including haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This study aimed to characterize and analyze virulence properties of pat...

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Published in:	Journal of infection in developing countries Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 102 - 108
Main Authors:	Sang, Willie K, Boga, Hamadi I, Waiyaki, Peter G, Schnabel, David, Wamae, Njeri C, Kariuki, Sam M
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Italy Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 13-02-2012
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Child Child, Preschool Diarrhea Diarrhea - epidemiology Diarrhea - microbiology E coli Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology Escherichia coli Proteins - genetics Feces - microbiology Female Humans Infant Kenya - epidemiology Male Middle Aged Pathogens Prevalence Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli - genetics Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli - isolation & purification Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli - pathogenicity Virulence Virulence Factors - genetics Young Adult Kenya
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Summary:	Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli strains are food-borne bacterial pathogens that may cause haemorrhagic colitis (HC) in humans which can lead to life-threatening systemic complication, including haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This study aimed to characterize and analyze virulence properties of pathogenic E. coli isolates among patients with diarrhoea from a Maasai community in Kenya. Stool samples from 380 patients of all ages from the Kajiado and Narok districts of Kenya were investigated for the presence of enteric bacterial pathogens by conventional and molecular methods. Bacterial diarrhoea was diagnosed in 141/380 (37.1%) cases, of which enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) compromised 29.8%, shigatoxigenic E. coli (STEC) 24.1%, enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) 14.2%, enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) 12.8% and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) 3.5%. Gene analysis for STEC virulence factors showed that 52.9% isolates carried stx1, 29.4% possessed stx2, 14.7% carried both stx1 and stx2, and 2.9% had stx2e. 23.5% isolates carried enterohaemolysin and 20.5% isolates possessed the Intimin gene. From 9 strains that exhibited adherence, 7 contained both Intimin and Haemolysin genes. Infections with Intimin-positive STEC strains (46%) were more frequent in patients with bloody diarrhoea, especially in children under 5 years of age, whereas Intimin-negative STEC infections dominated in adults. Although STEC infection as a cause of bloody diarrhoea has not attracted much attention as a medical problem in Kenya, our findings indicate that this is a problem that must be investigated. The 24.1% isolation rate of STEC among the Maasai is one of the highest reported rates worldwide.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1972-2680 2036-6590 1972-2680
DOI:	10.3855/jidc.1750