RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Lima, Fernanda Miranda A1 de Paulo Daurelio, Flávia A1 Mucci, Elisa Ribeiro A1 Ahagon, Cintia Mayumi A1 dos Santos Carmo, Andréia Moreira A1 Eterovic, André A1 Fernando dos Santos, Luis A1 Tiba-Casas, Monique Ribas A1 Camargo, Carlos Henrique A1 Cergole-Novella, Maria CeciliaYR 2019 T1 Epidemiology and genetic screening of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli among symptomatic and asymptomatic children JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 68 IS 7 SP 1033 OP 1041 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001020 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Purpose. Enteropathogens are frequently associated with diarrheal disease. Knowledge of their etiology and epidemiology is essential for the prevention and control of the sickness. This study describes the microbiological and epidemiological features of diarrheal disease in 197 symptomatic and 223 asymptomatic under-five-year-old children from southeastern Brazil, between January 2015 and September 2016. Methods. Isolation of Escherichia coli , Salmonella , Shigella and Campylobacter was realized by culture. E. coli strains were screened by multiplex PCR, PFGE and O:H serotyping. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was also performed. Results. Most of the 127 enteropathogens isolated were diarrheagenic E. coli (96.1 %), with predominance of several serotypes of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). Age, sex, rotavirus vaccination, recent use of antibiotics and previous contact with pets, were factors that revealed no significant effects on the probability of infection by the predominant pathogens. Even so, higher incomes could be related to a lesser chance of testing positive for EPEC. Evidence of possible EAEC clonal spread was detected, as well as genetic similarity among strains from both symptomatic and asymptomatic children. Resistance to antimicrobial agents was more pronounced among EAEC than EPEC. Conclusion. The occurrence of genetically similar diarrheagenic E. coli in both groups of children, likewise resistant to these agents, underscores the importance of establishing strategies for the prevention of outbreaks, especially among low-income households., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.001020