HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary Table Erratum Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Afset, J. E Articles by Bergh, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Afset, J. E Articles by Bergh, K. Agricola Articles by Afset, J. E Articles by Bergh, K.

Association of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) with prolonged diarrhoea

Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, St. Olavs Hospital, University Hospital and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health¹ and Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine,² Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Correspondence Jan E. Afset jan.afset{at}stolav.no

Received April 27, 2004
Accepted June 28, 2004

The aim of the present case control study was to investigate the prevalence of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and its possible role in causing diarrhoea among children < 5 years of age in Norway. Stool specimens received in the laboratory from children with suspected gastroenteritis (n = 251) were, in addition to routine testing, analysed for the presence of EPEC by PCR of the eae, bfpA and stx genes. Specimens from healthy children (n = 210) recruited from Maternal and Child Health Centres were analysed for EPEC only. EPEC isolates (eae⁺, stx^–) were classified as typical (bfpA⁺) or atypical (bfpA^–), and were tested for O : K serogroup. Information on duration of diarrhoea was recorded in a questionnaire and from referral forms. Atypical EPEC was diagnosed in 37 patients (14.7 %) compared to 21 (10.0 %) of the healthy controls [Odds ratio (OR) = 1.4, P = 0.3]. Only three isolates, all from patients, belonged to EPEC serogroups. One patient had typical EPEC. Twenty (22.5 %) of 89 patients with diarrhoea lasting 14 days had atypical EPEC. The association between atypical EPEC and prolonged diarrhoea (OR = 2.1, P = 0.04) was caused by a high prevalence among female patients (40.6 %). In conclusion, atypical EPEC was found to be slightly more prevalent in patients than controls, without any overall significant association with diarrhoea. However, a significant association was observed with diarrhoea lasting 14 days or more, a finding that may indicate a role for atypical EPEC in prolonged disease.

A supplementary table showing risk factors for diarrhoeal disease is available in JMM Online.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Estrada-Garcia, C. Lopez-Saucedo, R. Thompson-Bonilla, M. Abonce, D. Lopez-Hernandez, J. I. Santos, J. L. Rosado, H. L. DuPont, and K. Z. Long Association of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Pathotypes with Infection and Diarrhea among Mexican Children and Association of Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli with Acute Diarrhea J. Clin. Microbiol., January 1, 2009; 47(1): 93 - 98. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E. Afset, E. Anderssen, G. Bruant, J. Harel, L. Wieler, and K. Bergh Phylogenetic Backgrounds and Virulence Profiles of Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strains from a Case-Control Study Using Multilocus Sequence Typing and DNA Microarray Analysis J. Clin. Microbiol., July 1, 2008; 46(7): 2280 - 2290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Guion, T. J. Ochoa, C. M. Walker, F. Barletta, and T. G. Cleary Detection of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli by Use of Melting-Curve Analysis and Real-Time Multiplex PCR J. Clin. Microbiol., May 1, 2008; 46(5): 1752 - 1757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. T. T. Hien, F. Scheutz, P. D. Cam, O. Serichantalergs, T. T. Huong, T. M. Thu, and A. Dalsgaard Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Shigella Strains Isolated from Children in a Hospital Case-Control Study in Hanoi, Vietnam J. Clin. Microbiol., March 1, 2008; 46(3): 996 - 1004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E. Afset, G. Bruant, R. Brousseau, J. Harel, E. Anderssen, L. Bevanger, and K. Bergh Identification of Virulence Genes Linked with Diarrhea Due to Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli by DNA Microarray Analysis and PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol., October 1, 2006; 44(10): 3703 - 3711. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Y. Alikhani, A. Mirsalehian, and M. M. Aslani Detection of typical and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) in Iranian children with and without diarrhoea. J. Med. Microbiol., September 1, 2006; 55(Pt 9): 1159 - 1163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Muller, P. Hagedorn, S. Brast, G. Heusipp, M. Bielaszewska, A. W. Friedrich, H. Karch, and M. A. Schmidt Rapid Identification and Differentiation of Clinical Isolates of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Atypical EPEC, and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli by a One-Step Multiplex PCR Method. J. Clin. Microbiol., July 1, 2006; 44(7): 2626 - 2629. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]