title: Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among diarrhoeic HIV/AIDS patients in the Eastern Cape Province-South Africa.
abstract: This study investigated the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the stool of confirmed and non-confirmed diarrhoeic HIV/AIDS patients. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated by culture-based and immunomagnetic separation from three hundred and sixty stool swabs. Identification was by conventional IMViC, 20E API and molecular techniques. Confirmed and non-confirmed diarrhoeic HIV/AIDS patients had 56.5% (74/131) and 43.5% (57/131) respectively of E. coli O157:H7. Molecular results indicated that the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was 12.16% (9/74) and 8.77% (5/57) from stool swabs of confirmed and non-confirmed diarrhoeic HIV/AIDS patients. Antimicrobial resistance was higher for E. coli O157:H7 isolates from stools of confirmed HIV/AIDS than it was for non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients. Escherichia coli O157:H7 might be a silent cause of diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS patients. It is recommended that HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhoea should be screened for E. coli O157:H7 and surveillance programmes for these bacteria should be established in both urban and rural areas of South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Science and Technology, University of Fort Hare, P/Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Abong'o
authors.forename: M N B
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Momba
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Malakate
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Mwambakana
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents