Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli: a public health hazard in Yaounde; Cameroon?

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of various pathotypes of Escherichia coli was investigated during a case-control study conducted in children diarrhoea in Yaounde. Isolates obtained from the stools samples of children aged 6 months to 5 years were selected on phenotypic basis; and identified by virulence genes detection using polymerase chain reactions. The most prevalent pathotype was enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (25.8). Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (3.6); enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (1); and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (0.2) followed. No shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli were identified. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli was not associated with diarrhoea (cases 26.1; controls 25.5; P=0;887); unlike enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (cases 6.7; controls 1; P=0.003). Investigations into documented potentials of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in causing diarrhoea and other related pathologies indicated that it could be a major public health threat in Cameroon despite the fact that it was not found associated with clinical diarrhoeal cases in this study