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Enterobacteriaceae: Etiological Agents of Diarrhea |
Shazia Rustam ,
Noor-us-saba ,
Mazhar Qayyum ,
Badar Ul Islam and Ali Abbas Qazilbash |
Abstract:
To investigate the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae among patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal infection and the risk factors associated with such infections, a total of 250 fecal samples were collected from the identified patients and their history and clinical examination findings recorded. Stool characteristics were noted and examinations performed, including direct microscopy of faeces, culturing and identification of causative agents. Confirmatory biochemical and serological tests were also carried out. Out of total samples, 84(33.6%) revealed enteropathogenic etiological agents. Among them 34 (13.6%) were bacterial pathogens, of which 27(10.8%) were from family Enterobacteriaceae and 7(2.8%) from Vibrionacaea, while the remaining 50 (20%) were of parasitic ova and/or cysts. Among the Enterobacteriaceae positive cases, 9 (33.3%) were identified as Shigella species, 2 (7.4%) were Salmonella species, while 16 (59.3%) were strains of pathogenic E. coli. Of the 9 Shigella species 5 (55.5%) were Poly B serotypes, while 3 (33.3%) were Poly A serotypes and 1 (11.1%) was Poly D serotype. Of the 2 Salmonella species, one was Salmonella typhi and other as Salmonella paratyphyi. Of the 16 E. coli strains isolated, 11 (68.75%) were Poly 2 and 5 (31.25%) were Poly 3 serotypes. Abdominal cramps - severe to mild - and pus cells in stool were the most prominent clinical features, followed by mucus in the stool (96.3%). Of the positive cases for Enterobactericeae isolates, 17 (62.3%) were from male samples and 10 (37.7%) from female samples. Among these positive cases, 12 (44.4%) were from children under the age of 6 years and of these 8 cases were from boys and 4 from girls Of the positive cases reported in this study, 19 (70.4%) were from urban centers - 10 in Islamabad, 9 cases in Rawalpindi, while 8 (29.6%) of the cases were reported among people residing in the surrounding rural areas. Infection reported in the urban areas may be attributed to the overall poor quality of water supply and sanitation systems, high poverty rate in these areas and the lack of good hygiene practices among food vendors and users, as well as the overall lack of awareness and quality education. To combat such endemic diseases it is essential to prioritize political commitments for sustained socio-economic development, through the provision of resources, to address quality education, urban and rural planning and the commissioning of affordable, indigenous, cost-effective technologies for sanitation and wastewater treatment.
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How to cite this article:
Shazia Rustam , Noor-us-saba , Mazhar Qayyum , Badar Ul Islam and Ali Abbas Qazilbash , 2006. Enterobacteriaceae: Etiological Agents of Diarrhea. Journal of Medical Sciences, 6: 149-154. DOI: 10.3923/jms.2006.149.154 URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=jms.2006.149.154
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