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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Lab Physicians 2019; 11(04): 346-351
DOI: 10.4103/JLP.JLP_58_19
Original Article

Evolution of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes in India

Pankaj Singh
Department of Medical Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
,
Sharda C. Metgud
Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka, India
,
Subarna Roy
RMRC, ICMR, Belgaum, Karnataka, India
,
Shashank Purwar
Department of Medical Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
› Author Affiliations Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
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Abstract

CONTEXT: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in developing countries. On the basis of virulence and phenotypic characteristics, the DEC is categorized into multiple pathotypes. Each pathotype has different pathogenesis and geographical distribution. Thus, the proper management of disease relies on rapid and accurate identification of DEC pathotypes.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of DEC pathotypes in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out between January 2008 and December 2012 at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Center, Belgaum (Karnataka), India. A total of 300 stool samples were collected from diarrhea patients with age >3 months. The DEC was identified by both conventional and molecular methods.

RESULTS: Of 300 samples, E. coli were detected in 198 (66%) and 170 (56.6%) samples by culture and polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Among DEC (n = 198) isolates, eae gene (59.5%) was the most prevalent followed by stx (27.7%), east (27.2%), elt (12.6%), est (10.6%), ipaH (5.5%), and eagg (1.5%) genes. On the basis of virulence genes, enteropathogenic E. coli (33.8%) was the most common pathotype followed by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC, 23.2%), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC, 13.6%), enteroinvasive E. coli (5.5%), enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin 1-harboring E. coli (EAST1EC, 4.5%), STEC/ETEC (3.5%), STEC/enteroaggregative E. coli (STEC/EAEC, 1.0%), and EAEC (0.05%).

CONCLUSIONS: The hybrid DEC is potentially more virulent than basic pathotypes. The pathotyping should be included in clinical settings for the proper management of DEC-associated diarrhea.

Key words

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli - enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin 1-harboring Escherichia coli - enteroinvasive Escherichia coli - enteropathogenic Escherichia coli - enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli - Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Supplementary Materials



Publication History

Received: 06 April 2019

Accepted: 10 October 2019

Article published online:
07 April 2020

© 2019.

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.
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