Abstract:
Investigations were carried out to evaluate antibiotic resistance genes in Shiga-toxin
producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolated from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic
paediatric patients aged < 1 to 16 years in Ondo State. Stool samples were collected from
Seventy-eight (78) diarrhoeic and four hundred and forty-three (443) non-diarrhoeic
patients making a total of 521 samples from paediatric patients in four specialist hospitas
in Ondo State and community settings in Akure. The hospitals included State Specialist
Hospitals in Akure, Ikare, Ondo and Okitipupa. The samples were cultured and isolates
identified immediately using standard methods. Data obtained were statistically analysed
using SPSS version 20. The bacteria isolated from the stool samples from the hospitals
included; Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Clostridium botulinum, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Micrococcus luteus, Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Ps. fluorescens, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens, Shigella
dysentariae and Staphylococccus aureus and S. epidermidis. Those that were positive for
E. coli were analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Isolates with multiple antibiotic
resistance were further analyzed for the presence of virulence genes. Forty-three (43) out
of (78) samples from diarrhoeic patients harboured E. coli whereas 195 out of (443) from
samples non-diarrhoeic patients harboured E. coli. In addition, children within age group 1-5 years had the highest occurrence rate of E. coli. The gene encoding Shiga- toxin and
intimin virulent factors were detected. All the six (6) isolates tested for virulence factors (stx1, stx2 and eae), all the six (6) amplified for stx1 and stx2 while five (5) isolates
amplified for eae gene encoding for intimin. In conclusion, this study was able to identify
the different bacteria present in the stool samples of both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic
pediatric patients (<1 to 16years) in Ondo State. Findings also revealed that the STEC
isolates were resistant to Ampicillin, Augmentin, Ciprofloxacin, Spectinomycin, and
Septrin.
