Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Infection and Prolonged Diarrhea in Children

摘要

Some clinical isolates of enteropathogenic Escherichiacoli (EPEC) lack bundle-forming pili and are termed atypicalEPEC. The aim of this study was to determine if atypicalEPEC are pathogens by comparing the clinical features ofpatients infected with atypical EPEC with those of childreninfected with other causative agents of diarrhea. Fecal sam-ples obtained from children attending the Royal Children'sHospital in Melbourne for investigation of diarrhea wereexamined for adenovirus, rotavirus, Campylobacter spp.,Salmonella spp., protozoa, and pathogenic E. coli. Clinicaldata were obtained by using a standardized pro forma andanalyzed separately. Patients infected with atypical EPECexperienced mild, nondehydrating, and noninflammatorydiarrhea that was not particularly associated with fever,vomiting, or abdominal pain. However, the duration of diar-rhea in patients infected with atypical EPEC was significant-ly longer than that caused by the other species or where nopathogens were identified. Infection with atypical EPEC isassociated with prolonged diarrhea