Molecular characterisation of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli O136:K78 isolates from patients of a diarrhoea outbreak in China.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: A diarrhoea outbreak occurred in a kindergarten, which caused 21 relevant infected cases. Our object was to confirm the pathogens and their molecular characterisation. Materials and Methods: Faecal samples from 21 patients were collected on the 3rd day after their symptom onset, and a regular epidemiological investigation was conducted. Bacterial isolation was performed in accordance with standard laboratory protocol, serological and molecular characterisations were determined by serum agglutination test and real‑time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, respectively. The pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and 16S rRNAs were conducted to determine the homology. Results: Eleven enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) O136K78 strains were isolated. The serum agglutination test showed that all strains’ serotypes were E. coli (EIEC) O136K78. Real‑time PCR showed that 10 (91%) strains carried the invasion plasmid antigen H gene (ipaH), carried by all four Shigella species and EIEC. The strain that didn’t carry the ipaH gene had different biochemical reactions of L‑lizyna and L‑rhamnose with the other strains. The complete 16S rRNA sequences showed 98.4% identity between ipaH‑negative isolate and the others, and the PFGE indicated that the ipaH‑negative isolate was not homological with other isolates in this diarrhoea outbreak. Conclusions: The diarrhoea outbreak was caused by E. coli (EIEC) O136K78.