TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli among Children Aged between 0–36 Months in Peri-Urban Areas of Lusaka
AU - Mwape, Kapambwe
AU - Bosomprah, Samuel
AU - Chibesa, Kennedy
AU - Silwamba, Suwilanji
AU - Luchen, Charlie Chaluma
AU - Sukwa, Nsofwa
AU - Mubanga, Cynthia
AU - Phiri, Bernard
AU - Chibuye, Mwelwa
AU - Liswaniso, Fraser
AU - Somwe, Paul
AU - Chilyabanyama, Obvious
AU - Chisenga, Caroline Cleopatra
AU - Muyoyeta, Monde
AU - Simuyandi, Michelo
AU - Barnard, Tobias George
AU - Chilengi, Roma
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - Diarrhoea is a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries, with diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli being among the top aetiological agents. We sought to investigate the burden and describe the diarrhoeagenic E. coli pathotypes causing diarrhoea among children in peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia. This was a facility-based surveillance study conducted over an 8-month period from 2020 to 2021. Stool samples were collected from children aged 0–3 years presenting with diarrhoea at five peri-urban health facilities in Lusaka. Stool samples were tested for diarrhoeagenic E. coli using the Novodiag bacterial GE+® panel, a platform utilising real-time PCR and microarray technology to detect bacterial pathogens. Of the 590 samples tested, diarrhoeagenic E. coli were detected in 471 (76.1%). The top three pathogens were enteropathogenic E. coli 45.4% (n = 268), enteroaggregative E. coli 39.5% (n = 233), and enterotoxigenic E. coli 29.7% (n = 176). Our results revealed that 50.1% of the diarrhoeagenic E. coli positive samples comprised multiple pathotypes of varying virulence gene combinations. Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of diarrhoeagenic E. coli in childhood diarrhoea and the early exposure (<12 months) of children to enteric pathogens. This calls for the early implementation of preventive interventions for paediatric diarrhoea.
AB - Diarrhoea is a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries, with diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli being among the top aetiological agents. We sought to investigate the burden and describe the diarrhoeagenic E. coli pathotypes causing diarrhoea among children in peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia. This was a facility-based surveillance study conducted over an 8-month period from 2020 to 2021. Stool samples were collected from children aged 0–3 years presenting with diarrhoea at five peri-urban health facilities in Lusaka. Stool samples were tested for diarrhoeagenic E. coli using the Novodiag bacterial GE+® panel, a platform utilising real-time PCR and microarray technology to detect bacterial pathogens. Of the 590 samples tested, diarrhoeagenic E. coli were detected in 471 (76.1%). The top three pathogens were enteropathogenic E. coli 45.4% (n = 268), enteroaggregative E. coli 39.5% (n = 233), and enterotoxigenic E. coli 29.7% (n = 176). Our results revealed that 50.1% of the diarrhoeagenic E. coli positive samples comprised multiple pathotypes of varying virulence gene combinations. Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of diarrhoeagenic E. coli in childhood diarrhoea and the early exposure (<12 months) of children to enteric pathogens. This calls for the early implementation of preventive interventions for paediatric diarrhoea.
KW - children under five years old
KW - diarrhoea
KW - diarrhoeagenic E. coli
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178125759&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/microorganisms11112790
DO - 10.3390/microorganisms11112790
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85178125759
SN - 2076-2607
VL - 11
JO - Microorganisms
JF - Microorganisms
IS - 11
M1 - 2790
ER -