MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT ENTEROAGGREGATIVE ESCHERICHIA-COLI ASSOCIATED WITH PERSISTENT DIARRHEA IN KENYAN CHILDREN

To study the association of multidrug-resistant enteroaggregative Esch erichia coli with persistent diarrhea in Kenyan children, stool specim ens were obtained from 862 outpatients under 5 years of age from July 1991 to June 1993. E. coli O44 was identified as the sole bacterial pa thogen in four patients experiencing at least 14 days of fever, vomiti ng, and diarrhea. Disk diffusion testing showed E. coli O44 resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, erythromycin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxa zole, and amoxicillin/clavulanate and sensitivity to chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid azithromycin, and cefuroxime. Further studies are neede d to clarify the epidemiology, clinical spectrum, and pathogenesis of enteroaggregative E. coli infection.