| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diarrhoeal diseases constitute a major public health problem, particularly in the developing world, where the rate of mortality and morbidity is very high. The purpose of this study was to conduct a 2 years and 3 months study in order to determine the prevalence of five enteropathogen diarrheogenic agents in Mexico City.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Faecal samples were obtained from 300 Mexican children diagnosed as positive for diarrhoea, aged > 2 to < 12 years old, and from 80 children matched for age but with no symptoms of the disease (control group). Two multiplex PCR were used to detect <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Salmonella </it>spp., and <it>Shigella </it>spp. In addition, the two protozoan parasites <it>Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar </it>and <it>Giardia intestinalis </it>were detected by conventional methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All diarrhoeal samples were positive for one or more enteropathogens. The most common enteropathogens in diarrhoeal samples were <it>E. histolytica/E. dispar </it>(70.3%), <it>Salmonella </it>(<it>ohio </it>28.3%; <it>typhimurium </it>16.3%; <it>infantis </it>8%; <it>anatum </it>0.6%; Newport 0.3%), <it>G. intestinalis </it>(33%), <it>E. coli </it>(ETEC 13.3%; EPEC 9.3%; VTEC 8.6%; EIEC 1%) and <it>Shigella </it>spp. (<it>flexneri </it>1.6%, <it>sonnei </it>1%). Infections by two (24%) three (16%) and four (12%) pathogens were observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study revealed that 52% of the patients were infected by more than one enteropathogen, notably <it>E. histolitica</it>/<it>E. dispar </it>and <it>Salmonella ohio</it>. These results are useful for clinicians to improve the empiric treatment used in such cases.</p>
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