title: [Comparison of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) diagnosis by serology and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The identification of EPEC in clinical laboratories is based on the determination of the serotypes by agglutination with O and H antiserum. Currently the proper diagnosis of EPEC should be done by the identification of the intimin gen (eaeA) by PCR.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the diagnosis of EPEC by serotyping and by PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected EPEC strains, identify by their O antigen, from 4 clinical laboratories in Lima from diarrheal samples in children less than 5 years of age. In those strains we have searched for virulence genes by a real time multiplex PCR for the diarrheagenic E. coli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We collected 113 strains; 82% from children less than 2 years of age. Only 15 strains (13.3%) had the intimin gene and therefore a confirmatory diagnosis of EPEC. In addition we found 3 enterotoxigenic (ETEC), 3 shiga toxin-producing (STEC), 1 enteroagreggative (EAEC) and 1 enteroinvasive (EIEC) strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCR should be use for the proper identification of EPEC. However, molecular methods are still not easily available in clinical laboratories worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Enfermedades Entéricas y Nutrición (LEEN), Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú. Theresa.J.Ochoa@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lluque
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercado
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riveros
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colichón
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochoa
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019081:O Antigens / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C022863:H antigen; D019081:O Antigens; C073819:eaeA protein, E coli