Detection of pathogenicity factors in strains of classical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of strains of classic enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) that have the eae gene, that is considered a pathogenicity factor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The presence of the eae gene has been evaluated on 62 EPEC strains of ten different serogroups, isolated from children with gastroenteritis. RESULTS: Amplification of the eae gene was positive in 10 out of 62 EPEC strains analyzed (16%) corresponding to seven different serogroups. DISCUSSION: The low frequency of the detection of the eae gene on EPEC strains shows the limited correlation between the pathogenicity and the serogroup of the strains and would corroborate the need to reexamine this subject prospectively in our country.