Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated in Colombia from children with diarrhoea: Serotypes and drug-resistance
Mattar, S.; Pulido, J.; Vasquez, E.; Sussmann, O.
Medical Science Research 25(9): 615-617
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0269-8951
Accession: 008611839
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is an important cause of endemic and epidemic diarrhoea in children, especially in developing countries. We undertook this study to determine the seroprevalent and susceptibility patterns of EPEC in view of the increasing antimicrobial resistance of EPEC worldwide, and in the absence of EPEC antimicrobial susceptibility was conducted at Colombian hospitals. We identified 274 strains isolated in Cartagena and Bogota (Colombia, South America) from children with diarrhoea as EPEC using commercially available antisera; we also studied the EPEC strains for antibiotic resistance. Serotypes 0111:K58 (36.86%), 055:K59 (27.74%), 026:K60 (8.39%), 018:K77 (6.2%) and 0127:K53 (4.01%) were frequently found. Resistance antibiotic patterns among serotypes studied showed the following results: 0111:K58: 61.39% ampicillin; 44.55% ampicillin/sulbactam, 41.58% trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. 055:K59: 57.89% ampicillin; 46.05% ampicillin/sulbactam, 43.42% trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. 026:K60: 82.61% ampicillin; 52.17% ampicillin/sulbactam, 43.48% trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. 018:K77: 70.59% ampicillin; 70.59% ampicillin/sulbactam, and 58.82% cephalothin, 47.06% trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. These results could help to elucidate the role of EPEC in producing childhood diarrhoea in Colombia.