Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (STEC and EPEC) are responsible for an estimated 300,000-500,000 death annually in children under the age of 5 years. STEC and EPEC are commonly recovered from the faeces of food producing animals and pose threats to health of humans and livestock. A total of 264 faecal samples were collected from infants with the history of diarrhoea from different hospitals of Mizoram. Samples were processed in laboratory for isolation of E. coli. All the E. coli isolates were screened for STEC and EPEC encoding virulence genes by PCR assay. All the virulence gene carrying E. coli isolates were subjected to serotyping (O & H), subtyping for stx 2 subtypes by PCR, detection of bfpA gene by PCR, vero cell cytotoxicity of STEC isolates and antimicrobial sensitivity assay. A total of 540 E. coli isolates were isolated from infants. All together 17 (3.15 %) E. coli isolates were found to be positive for at least one virulence gene of which 8(1.5%) and 9 (1.67%) were recorded as STEC and EPEC, respectively. Of the total 8 (1.5%) stx 2 positive isolates, 5 (62.5%) were positive for stx 2 c and 3(37.5%) were positive for stx 2 e subtypes, respectively. Of the 17 (3.15%) eaeA positive isolates 3(17.65%) were positive for bfpA gene. 2 different somatic types and 4 different flagellar types were recorded. All the isolates were exhibited varying degree of CPE on vero cell lines. Enrofloxacin exhibited 100% sensitivity, whereas amoxicillin, polymyxin B and kanamycin exhibited 100% resistance in infant isolates during antimicrobial sensitivity assay. Serogroup O60 E. coli may be the emerging pathogens of infants in Mizoram.

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