Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella species in acute diarrhoea in Hamedan, Islamic Republic of Iran

This study investigated the frequency of Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella species in stool specimens from patients with diarrhoea presenting to health centres in Hamedan province, Islamic Republic of Iran. From 144 samples, Shigella strains were isolated in 17 cases [11.8%]: 10 Sh. flexneri, 3 Sh. sonnei, 2 Sh. boydii and 2 untyped strains. No Salmonella strains were isolated. Using molecular diagnostic methods, diarrheogenic E. coli were detected in 37 cases [25.7%], the majority were enterotoxigenic [ETEC] [22 cases] and Shiga toxin- producing [STEC] strains [15 cases]. In 14 cases [9.7%] there was co- infection