Incidence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), rotaviruses and Clostridium perfringens from cases of diarrhea among children, in the region of Campinas, SP, Brazil

Abstract

A survey for the detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), rotavirus and enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in diarrheic stools of children up to 2 years old was carried out in the region of Campinas, SP, Brazil. Twenty-seven (20.45% ) faecal specimens were positive for ETEC. From these samples 41 strains of ETEC were isolated from which 40 produced only thermolabile (LT) enterotoxin, as detected by a modified radial immune haemolysis test. Among the 183 faecal specimens examined for the detection of rotavirus, 29 (15.84% ) were post tive when examined by polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and immunoenzimatic assay (EIA) being 15 (51.7%), derived from stools collected from winter months. All strains of rotavirus belonged to group A and through the PAGE technique, it was ob served that the most frequent (9 strains) electro phoretype, according to the adopted classifica tion, was lb, lie. Illb, IVa. Only 113 fecal specimens were examined for the presence of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens. For the detection of enterotoxin in culture supernatants the reverse passive haemagglutination and intravenous inoculation of mice were used. Twelve ( 10.61% ) ente rotoxigenic C. perfringens strains were found. Taking into consideration these findings the authors call the attention of the relative value of conventional coprocultures for diagnostic pur poses, pointing out the importante of establishing simplified methods which would render easier, the detection and identification of the groups of enteropathogenic agents studied in this research.