The Occurrence of Escherichia Coli Serotype 0157: H7 Among Humans in Some Parts Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The present study evaluated the occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 among human subjects in seven selected experimental sites in Plateau State, Nigeria. Seven hundred patients’ stool specimens were examined for the presence of E. coli O157: H7. The specimens were aseptically collected at monthly intervals between November 2008 to October 2009, from government and private hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, after which they were transported to the laboratory for bacteriological analysis. Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB) and selective agar medium namely; cefixime tellurite-sorbitol MacConkey (CT- SMAC) agar were used for the isolation of the pathogen from various samples. The results of this study revealed that out of the seven hundred patients’ stool specimens examined, 35 (5.00%) were found with E. coli O157: H7. The male subjects had a higher occurrence of the organism 24 (3.43%) than the female counterparts 11 (1.57%). The infection rate of E. coli O157: H7 disease was recorded highest 12 (2.45%) among the age group of 0-9 years. This was followed by the age group of 50 years and above 7 (1.43%). E. coli O157: H7 had the highest occurrence among the patients that attended government owned hospitals 18 (2.58%), followed by patients that attended private hospitals (1.14%), while patients that attended clinics had the least 4 (0.57%). Patients with bloody diarrhoea had the highest infection rate of E. coli O157: H7 disease 23 (3.29%), whereas patients with non bloody diarrhoea had 12 (1.71%). None of the individuals without diarrhoea yielded the pathogen. The percentage occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 infection among the infected patients was significantly higher (P<0.05) during the wet season than during the dry season. The high occurrence of this organism among patients with diarrhoea in the experimental sites suggests that the awareness should be created among the public and within the medical practices on the dangers of the infection caused by this pathogen and that the organism should be included among the diarrhoegenic pathogens that are routinely screened in our medical laboratories.