Enteropathogenic E. coli - Information for Clinicians
Type of infection
Enteropathogenic E. coli (or EPEC) are a complex and heterogeneous group of E. coli that share the ability to attach to intestinal cells and in the lab cause a characteristic attaching and effacing lesion. They all carry the attaching and effacing gene (eae). EPEC are often divied into typical and atypical EPEC based on the presence of the bpf gene, but many different genes likely determine if an EPEC is a true pathogen. The FilmArray GI Panel does not discriminate between typical and atypical EPEC.
Sources of infection
- Typical EPEC are associated with diarrhea in infants and children in developing countries.
- Transmission is fecal oral.
- Several case control studies of EPEC in developed countries have found EPEC in a similar number of well controls as in children with diarrhea. Therefore, the clinical significance of detecting EPEC in children in the US, especially with newer molecular methods, is unknown.
Usual symptoms
- Vomiting and diarrhea.
Duration of illness
- EPEC may cause persistent diarrhea.
Treatment
- Treat dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities.
- Antibiotics are not generally recommended for the treatment of EPEC in the US.
Complications
- Dehydration.
Comments
- The clinical significance of detecting EPEC in a child in a developed country is unclear. In general, other causes of diarrhea should be sought and considered.