Detection and Antibiogram Study of an Important Diarrheagenic Pathotype-Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Globally diarrhoea remains the second leading cause of death in children. Among the etiology, bacterial pathogens diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is important etiological agents. Most DEC produce a large outer membrane protein intimin encoded by eaeA gene which is the genetic determinant of the formation of attaching/effacing (A/E) lesion, a central mechanism in the pathogenesis and strains containing eaeA are categorized as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). EPEC is a cause of broad-spectrum gastrointestinal infections among humans and animals, especially in developing countries. Severe EPEC infections can lead to death. This study was intended to detection of EPEC and its antibiotic sensitivity patterns from diarrheic children and environment of Surat, Gujarat, India during 2021-2023. Total of 252 stool, 334 food and 379environs samples were processed for the detection of EPEC. Primary isolation of E. coli using microbiological technique were followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-duplex PCR for genus specific 16SrRNA and eaeA genes. Antibiogram were determined by Kirby-Bauer test for 24 antimicrobial agents. In this study, 184 (73.03%) from diarrheic stool, 171 (51.32%) from food and 225 (59.12%) from environ samples were confirmed as E. coli. Overall prevalence of EPEC among the examined samples was 2.58% (n= 15/580). Highest susceptibility of the EPEC isolates was found against Gentamicin, Amikacin, Ofloxacin, Meropenem (100%) and 73.3%were distinct as multi-drug resistant (MDR). In conclusion, the emergence of MDR-EPEC from environ sources is a public health concern. E. coli (including EPEC) isolates are important inter- and intraspecies disseminators of antimicrobial resistance.