Two or more enteropathogens are associated with diarrhoea in Mexican children

Gloria Luz Paniagua , Eric Monroy , Octavio García-González , Javier Alonso , Erasmo Negrete and Sergio Vaca

Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida de Los Barrios. 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico

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Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 2007, 6:17doi:10.1186/1476-0711-6-17


Published:	28 December 2007

Abstract

Background

Diarrhoeal diseases constitute a major public health problem, particularly in the developing world, where the rate of mortality and morbidity is very high. The purpose of this study was to conduct a 2 years and 3 months study in order to determine the prevalence of five enteropathogen diarrheogenic agents in Mexico City.

Methods

Faecal samples were obtained from 300 Mexican children diagnosed as positive for diarrhoea, aged > 2 to < 12 years old, and from 80 children matched for age but with no symptoms of the disease (control group). Two multiplex PCR were used to detect Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp. In addition, the two protozoan parasites Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar and Giardia intestinalis were detected by conventional methods.

Results

All diarrhoeal samples were positive for one or more enteropathogens. The most common enteropathogens in diarrhoeal samples were E. histolytica/E. dispar (70.3%), Salmonella (ohio 28.3%; typhimurium 16.3%; infantis 8%; anatum 0.6%; Newport 0.3%), G. intestinalis (33%), E. coli (ETEC 13.3%; EPEC 9.3%; VTEC 8.6%; EIEC 1%) and Shigella spp. (flexneri 1.6%, sonnei 1%). Infections by two (24%) three (16%) and four (12%) pathogens were observed.

Conclusion

This study revealed that 52% of the patients were infected by more than one enteropathogen, notably E. histolitica/E. dispar and Salmonella ohio. These results are useful for clinicians to improve the empiric treatment used in such cases.