title: Characterization of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli isolates in Jordanian children.
abstract: In a prospective study carried out among Jordanian children in Amman, a total of 73/250 (29.2%) stool specimens were positive for 1 or more diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli strains using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method. This study indicated that diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolates were found frequently more in stools of children with diarrhoea (34%) than without diarrhoea (23.1%), but without any significant difference (p > 0.05). The predominant diarrhoeagenic E. coli strains associated with diarrhoea were enteropathogenic E. coli (11.3%), followed by enterotoxigenic E. coli (9.8%) and enteroaggrative E. coli (9%), whereas in the control group these were 4.3%, 11.1% and 6%, respectively. Enteroinvasive E. coli strains (2.9%) were found only in stools of children with diarrhoea. This study revealed the absence of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli in both diarrhoeal and control stools, and found that diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolates were highly resistance to tetracycline (55%), co-trimoxazole (60%) and ampicillin (89%), which are commonly used antibiotics in Jordan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology/Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. ashehabi@go.com.jo
authors.forename: Asem A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shehabi
authors.forename: Najawa-Kuri
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bulos
authors.forename: Kamal G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Hajjaj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents