Escherichia coli in patients with acute gastroenteritis in Lagos, Nigeria

Over a period of 12 months. a total of 852 stool samples from patients (bot h children and adults) with acute diarrhoeal diseases attending some public and government recognised health institutions in Lagos metropolis were scr eened for diarrhoeagenic bacterial agents. One hundred and eighty two bacte rial isolates were found out of which 83 (45.6%) were Escherichia coli, 38( 20.9%) Shigella spp. 31(17%) Salmonella spp, 16(8.8%) Klebsiella spp, eight (4.4%) Aeromonas spp, while there were only six (3.3%) isolates for Plesio monas spp. Of the 83 isolates for E. coli group, 49 (59%) were enteropathog enic (EPEC), 17 (20.5%) enterotoxigenic (ETEC), 10 (12.1%) enteroinvasive ( EIEC) and seven (8.4%) enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC), The EPEC strains particul arly serotype 055, were mostly encountered in children aged over five years , On the other hand, EIEC and ETEC strains were found mainly in adults whil e EHEC 0157:H7 strains occurred in all the age groups studied. This study f urther stresses the important role of EIEC and ETEC in acute diarrhoeal dis eases and the possible implication of EHEC in acute gastroenteritis, especi ally in children in Lagos, Nigeria.