Enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli as aetiological factors of infantile diarrhoea in rural and urban Ghana

There are 4 recognized classes of Escherichia coli that cause diarrhoeal disease in humans: enteropathogenic (EPEC), enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enteroinvasive (EIEC), and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Preliminary analysis of enterotoxin production in a rural community in Ghana showed a prevalence of 11·0% LT−ST +, 9·5% LT +ST − and 7·5% EPEC. (LT=heat-labile, and ST=heat-stable, enterotoxin). The results of a similar study in an urban community in Accra, Ghana, showed 10·9% LT −ST +, 5·9% LT +ST −, 1·6% LT +ST + and 6·5% EPEC. 14 different serotypes of EPEC were isolated in the urban area, whereas 6 serotypes and two untypable strains were isolated in the rural area. The most common serotype isolated in Accra was 0126:K71 and that from the rural area was 0128:K67. Serotypes 0143:KXI and 0155:K59 are reported for the first time in Ghana.