Antimicrobial resistance of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolated from children under the age of 5 years from Ifakara, Tanzania
Vila, J.; Vargas, M.; Casals, C.; Urassa, H.; Mshinda, H.; Schellemberg, D.; Gascon, J.
Antimicrobial Agents and ChemoTherapy 43(12): 3022-3024
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-4804 PMID: 10582903 DOI: 10.1128/aac.43.12.3022Document Number: 532551
Diarrhea caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria is an important public health problem among children in developing countries. The prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in 346 children under 5 years of age in Ifakara, Tanzania, were studied. Thirty-eight percent of the cases of diarrhea were due to multiresistant enterotoxigenic E. coli, enteroaggregative E. coli, or enteropathogenic E. coli. Strains of all three E. coli categories showed high-level resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, co-trimoxazole, and chloramphenicol but were highly susceptible to quinolones. Guidelines for appropriate use of antibiotics in developing countries need updating.