title: First report of Escherichia coli O157 among Iraqi children.
abstract: We determined the prevalence of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, especially E. coli O157, and other enteropathogens among 200 children with bloody diarrhoea and 100 age-matched controls at two Baghdad hospitals. Bacterial and parasitic agents were found in 39.5% and 28.5% of cases, respectively; no pathogen was detected in 32%. E. coli O157 was identified in 11.5% and more than one pathogen was found in 15.5% of cases. The most common pathogens were enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (5%); E. coli other than E. coli O157 or EPEC (15%); Entamoeba histolytica (25%) and Giardia lamblia (3.5%). All isolates of E. coli O157:H7 were sensitive to cephalexin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and nalidixic acid and resistant to erythromycin, polymyxin B and vancomycin. Resistance to 6 or more antimicrobial agents was common (50% of isolates).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, Al-Kadimiya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq.
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Shebib
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Abdul Ghani
authors.forename: L Kh
authors.initials: LKh
authors.lastname: Mahdi
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012703:Serotyping; D014839:Vomiting / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology