Etiology of Acute Diarrhea in Children/Adults in Tunisia. Prevalence and Molecular GenoTyping of Salmonella enterica/ Escherishia coli & First report of EHEC O157:H7 in Tunisia

      Аннотация: The causes of acute diarrhea include a wide range of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Among the bacterial pathogens, Escherichia coli (E. coli) plays an important role in children and Salmonella in adults. Diarrheagenic strains of E. coli can be divided on the basis of distinct epidemiologic and clinical features, specific virulence determinants and association with certain serotypes. However, their epidemiology and diarrheagenic potential are not yet clear in Tunisia. This is the first study of its kind to be carried out in Tunisia. The aims of the present study were: 1) Determine the prevalence of enteropathogens( bacteria, viruses, parasites) that cause acute diarrhea among children and adults in Tunis; to investigate the presence and frequency of diarrheagenic E. coli in children and adults with acute diarrhea by examining their virulence marker, cell adherent patterns, susceptibility test, clonal relatedness by PFGE. 2) Trace back human EHEC O157 and non-O157 infections in Tunis & investigation of the diarrheal ETEC outbreak in Tunis. 3) Define endemic patterns of salmonellosis, and trends of Salmonella in Tunisia.

Ключевые слова: acute diarrhea, Antibiotic resistance, Molecular Typing, PFGE, Virulence genes, Gastroenterities