ABSTRACT
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in children in developing and developed countries. EAEC is recognized by a characteristic aggregative pattern of adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells cultured in vitro. This is the gold standard assay. The aggregative phenotype is associated with the presence of a 65 MDa plasmid (pAA) that also encodes several other putative virulence factors, such as the aggregative adherence fimbria I (AAF/I) and the enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify EAEC strains in cases of acute diarrhea. A total of 87 E. coli strains, isolated from patients under 2 years of age with acute diarrhea in Mendoza, Argentina, were characterized by the reference method (HEp-2 assay), and by AAF/I- and EAST1-PCR. PCR sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the cell culture assay showed 94.4% sensitivity and 78.26% specificity. EAST1- and AAF/I-PCR could be recommended as a screening test, applicable to epidemiologic studies.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Adhesion , Diarrhea, Infantile/microbiology , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Argentina/epidemiology , Bacterial Toxins/genetics , Enterotoxins/genetics , Epithelial Cells/microbiology , Escherichia coli/pathogenicity , Fimbriae Proteins/genetics , Fimbriae, Bacterial/genetics , Humans , Infant , Mass Screening , Phenotype , Plasmids , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tumor Cells, Cultured/microbiology , VirulenceABSTRACT
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in children in developing and developed countries. EAEC is recognized by a characteristic aggregative pattern of adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells cultured in vitro. This is the gold standard assay. The aggregative phenotype is associated with the presence of a 65 MDa plasmid (pAA) that also encodes several other putative virulence factors, such as the aggregative adherence fimbria I (AAF/I) and the enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify EAEC strains in cases of acute diarrhea. A total of 87 E. coli strains, isolated from patients under 2 years of age with acute diarrhea in Mendoza, Argentina, were characterized by the reference method (HEp-2 assay), and by AAF/I- and EAST1-PCR. PCR sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the cell culture assay showed 94.4 sensitivity and 78.26 specificity. EAST1- and AAF/I-PCR could be recommended as a screening test, applicable to epidemiologic studies.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Bacterial Adhesion , Diarrhea, Infantile , Escherichia coli , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Argentina , Bacterial Toxins , Epithelial Cells/microbiology , Enterotoxins , Escherichia coli , Fimbriae, Bacterial , Mass Screening , Phenotype , Plasmids , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Fimbriae Proteins/genetics , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tumor Cells, Cultured , VirulenceABSTRACT
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in children in developing and developed countries. EAEC is recognized by a characteristic aggregative pattern of adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells cultured in vitro. This is the gold standard assay. The aggregative phenotype is associated with the presence of a 65 MDa plasmid (pAA) that also encodes several other putative virulence factors, such as the aggregative adherence fimbria I (AAF/I) and the enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify EAEC strains in cases of acute diarrhea. A total of 87 E. coli strains, isolated from patients under 2 years of age with acute diarrhea in Mendoza, Argentina, were characterized by the reference method (HEp-2 assay), and by AAF/I- and EAST1-PCR. PCR sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the cell culture assay showed 94.4 sensitivity and 78.26 specificity. EAST1- and AAF/I-PCR could be recommended as a screening test, applicable to epidemiologic studies.(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant , Bacterial Adhesion , Diarrhea, Infantile/microbiology , Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Argentina/epidemiology , Bacterial Toxins/genetics , Enterotoxins/genetics , Epithelial Cells/microbiology , Escherichia coli/pathogenicity , Fimbriae Proteins/genetics , Fimbriae, Bacterial/genetics , Mass Screening , Phenotype , Plasmids , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tumor Cells, Cultured/microbiology , VirulenceABSTRACT
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in children in developing and developed countries. EAEC is recognized by a characteristic aggregative pattern of adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells cultured in vitro. This is the gold standard assay. The aggregative phenotype is associated with the presence of a 65 MDa plasmid (pAA) that also encodes several other putative virulence factors, such as the aggregative adherence fimbria I (AAF/I) and the enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify EAEC strains in cases of acute diarrhea. A total of 87 E. coli strains, isolated from patients under 2 years of age with acute diarrhea in Mendoza, Argentina, were characterized by the reference method (HEp-2 assay), and by AAF/I- and EAST1-PCR. PCR sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the cell culture assay showed 94.4
sensitivity and 78.26
specificity. EAST1- and AAF/I-PCR could be recommended as a screening test, applicable to epidemiologic studies.
ABSTRACT
Variations of serum zinc and copper in relation with iron absorption, in a group of dogs undergoing pancreatic duct ligation, have been studied. Mean plasma iron concentrations, total serum zinc and copper were determined after administration of an iron dose (60 mg FeSO4 . 4H2O, pH 4). Significant increase of serum zinc and plasma iron was observed. In copper experiments no significant results were found.
