Detection of Virulence Factor Genes Associated with Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia Coli (DEC) from Aboriginal Children in the Northern Territory of Australia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of ten virulence genes associated with diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) among Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Stool samples from 64 Aboriginal children, from rural and remote areas, aged less than five years hospitalized at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) due to acute/persistent diarrhoea, were collected, cultured and analysed by PCR. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to detect ten different virulence genes and to identify specific DEC types namely enteroaggregative- (EAEC), enteropathogenic- (EPEC), enterotoxigenic- (ETEC), enteroinvasive- (EIEC), enterohemorghagic- (EHEC) and diffusely adherent Escherichia coli (DAEC). Potentially DAEC (53%), EAEC (75%) and STEC (12.5%) were the predominant DEC which may play a major role in the etiology of diarrhea in Aboriginal children while EIEC (1.6%) and EPEC (4.7%) played a minor role, leading to the question of whether or not they contribute for the diarrhoea of Aboriginal children. Aboriginal children with diarrhoea are suspected to suffer from DEC pathotypes infections which can be very dangerous in remote tropical areas, especially during wet season. Furthermore, these results might contribute to better understanding the predominance of DEC causing diarrhoea among Aboriginal children, particularly for those residing in remote areas of the NT of Australia.