Brazilian Indigenous Children as Carriers of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Pathotypes

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is a relevant cause of diarrhea, particularly among infants and young children in developing countries. Methodology: We compared the frequency, antimicrobial resistance, adherence, enterovirulence and genetic diversity of DEC isolates from Guarani indigenous population under five living in distinct villages in Brazil. Results: Of the 314 E. coli isolates from 57 children, with and without diarrhea, 15% (48/314) were classified in DEC categories: aEPEC (56%, 27/48), EAEC (35%, 17/48) and ETEC (8%, 4/48). ETEC belonged to plylogroup A, EAEC to groups A, B1, B2 and D, and aEPEC to phylogroups A, B1, and B2. EAEC exhibited the aggregative adherence phenotype while ETEC and aEPEC the aggregative and undefined patterns. Multidrug-resistance was detected in aEPEC, ETEC and EAEC while extensive drug-resistance was found in EAEC and aEPEC. RAPD typing revealed a genetically diverse bacterial population. Conclusion: This is the first report regarding aspects of DEC in an indigenous Brazilian population, showing that Guarani children are DEC carriers and that antimicrobial resistance at high levels is widely disseminated among these enteropathogens.