title: Molecular characterization of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli from Libya.
abstract: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) are important enteric pathogens that cause a wide variety of gastrointestinal diseases, particularly in children. Escherichia coli isolates cultured from 243 diarrheal stool samples obtained from Libyan children and 50 water samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for genes characteristic of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC). The DEC were detected in 21 (8.6%) children with diarrhea; 10 (4.1%) cases were identified as EAEC, 3 (1.2%) as EPEC, and 8 (3.3%) were ETEC; EHEC, and EIEC were not detected. All DEC were grouped phylogenetically by PCR with the majority (> 70%) identified as phylogenetic groups A and B1. The EAEC isolates were also tested for eight genes associated with virulence using PCR. Multi-virulence (≥ 3 virulence factors) was found in 50% of EAEC isolates. Isolated EAEC possessed different virulence traits and belonged to different phylogenetic groups indicating their heterogeneity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. mustafa_benali@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Mostafa Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Zienat Kamel
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Klena
authors.forename: Salwa Fouad
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Tarek A A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.forename: Khalifa Sifaw
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ghenghesh
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D054324:Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors