Frequency of serine protease autotransporters of enterobacteriaceae (SPATE) encoding genes in diffusely adherent escherichia coli (DAEC) isolates from children with and without diarrhea.

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of six genes encoding serine protease autotransporter proteins Enterobacteriaceae (SPATE) in diffusely adherent Escherichia coli (DAEC) isolates from children with (WD, n=63) and without diarrhea (WOD, n=41) from Lima, Peru. WOD were considered a control group. For the detection of the genes, 2 multiple PCRs were standardized: triple A (sigA, pet, espP) and triple B (sat, pic, espC). In both groups, the most frequent SPATE gene was Sat (39.7% of WD and 41.5% of WOD), followed by spP (20.6% and 9.7% in WD and WOD respectively). The other genes were detected in proportions lower than 10.0%, in the following order of frequency: pet, sigA, espC and pic, without significant differences between the groups. It was concluded that Sat is the most frequent SPATE in DAEC and that these strains may possess SPATE genes regardless of whether they are isolated in WD or WOD.