A prospective study of some diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli in infants with diarrhoea in Mosul, Iraq.
The incidence of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli was investigated in 304 infants with diarrhoea in Mosul, Iraq by using standard biological assays and reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) procedures. Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) were found in 12.8% of the cases--27 (8.8%) strains produced heat-labile toxin (LT) only, 8 (2.6%) heat-stable toxin (ST) only and 4 (1.3%) produced both toxins (LT-ST)--whereas enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) were responsible for about 13.8% of the incidence of diarrhoea in the community. Detailed analysis revealed that 12 serotypes were involved. A greater number of cases of acute enteritis were seen in infants aged 0-18 months than in those aged between 19 and 36 months. The data indicate a highly significant level of resistance to most common antimicrobial drugs among diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolated, but most were highly sensitive to nalidixic acid, cephalothin and gentamicin.
Abbar
F
F
Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Mosul, Iraq.
Khalef
S
S
Yonis
D
D
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007493:Iraq; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies