Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterisation Of Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia Coli Isolated From Children In Mukuru Informal Settlement, Nairobi County, Kenya

ABSTRACT Diarrhoeal diseases in Kenya are among the five main causes of mortality in children younger than five years. Bacterial diarrhoea has been reported to account for up to 30 % of all cases of infantile diarrhoea. Among children of age five years and below, diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) such as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are the most important enteric pathogens and are responsible for 30 to 40 % of all the diarrhoeal episodes in developing countries. The circulation of different pathogenic E. coli is an important prob…