MOLECULAR DETECTION AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF SHIGA TOXIN PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA COLI (STEC) ISOLATED FROM DIARRHEIC CHILDREN

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the shiga toxin producing genes and to investigate antibiotic sensitivity or resistant patterns of the Escherichia coli isolated from diarrheic children at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. A total of 83 stool samples were collected and screened for the detection of E. coli on the basis of cultural, staining and biochemical properties followed by molecular detection by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using genus specific 16SrRNA primers. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of E. coli was determined by disc diffusion method against 9 antimicrobial agents. In this study, 27 (32.53%) out of 83 samples, were confirmed as E. coli. Overall prevalence of shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) among the examined children was 1.20% (n=1/83).  Further, 27 E. coli isolates were analyzed for the presence of Stx-1 and Stx-2 genes by duplex-PCR.  The STEC isolate was confirmed to be positive for the presence of the Stx-2 gene only. Highest susceptibility of the E. coli isolates was found against Gentamicin (92.59%), followed by Ciprofloxacin (48.14%) and Moxifloxacin (33.33%). More than 77.78% of the isolates were resistant to more than three antibiotics thus defined as multi-drug resistant (MDR). In conclusion, Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin can be recommended as the effective drugs successful treatment of STEC infections in children.