DETECTION OF DIFFERENT STRAINS OF DIARRHEAGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI FROM STOOL OF UNDER 5 CHILDREN WITH ACUTE DIARRHEA BY MULTIPLEX PCR IN CHATTOGRAM

Dr. Dipa Basak*, Dr. Nasima Akhter, Dr. Arup Kanti Dewanjee, Dr. Abul Kalam4 and Dr. Shrabanti Barua

ABSTRACT

Background: Diarrhaegenic Escherichia coli is one of the most important etiologic agent of acute diarrhea of under 5 children and represent a major public health problem in developing countries like Bangladesh. Due to lack of facilities diarrhaegenicEscherichia coli can not be detected in the routine diagnostic microbiology laboratory. Recently various multiplex PCR methods have been developed to detect diarrheagenicEscherichia coli. Objective: The aim of this study is to detect different diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains (EPEC, ETEC and EAEC) by multiplex PCR. Method: The present study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Chattogram Medical College to detect different diarrheagenicEscherichia coli strains by multiplex PCR. This cross sectional study was done during the period from January 2017 to December 2017 and included under 5 children with acute diarrhea irrespective of sex admitted in Chattogram Medical College Hospital and Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College. A total of 250 stool samples were examined by standard laboratory methods for identification of bacterial enteropathogens. Different diarrheagenicEscherichia coli strains were detected by MultiplexPCR following standard methods. Result: Out of 250 diarrheal stool samples, diarrheagenic Escherichiacoli (DEC) were detected in 41 (16.4%) which included single strain of EnteropathogenicE.coli (EPEC) in 19 (46.34%) cases, single strain of EnteroaggregativeE coli (EAEC) in 10 (24.39%) cases, single strain of EnterotoxigenicE.coli (ETEC) in 9 (21.95%) cases and combined strain of EPEC and EAEC in 3 (7.31%) cases. Other enteropathogens included shigella spp. in 23 (9.2%) and salmonella spp. in 15 (6%) cases. Conclusion: Analyzing the findings of this present study, diarrheagenicEscherichia coli was found to be one of the most important cause of acute diarrhea among under 5 children. Detection rate of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli by multiplex PCR method was quite satisfactory. Thereby, Multiplex PCR could be adapted to detect different diarrheagenicEscherichia coli in setup like Medical colleges or tertiary medical facilities.

Keywords: Diarrhaegenic Escherichia, multiplex PCR, acute diarrhea.