Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part A (2021)

Escherichia coli O157 is pathogenic strain of E. coli that is known to cause diarrhea leading to fluid loss, and other severe complications like hemolytic uremic syndrome. This work was therefore aimed at isolating E. coli O157 from human stool with the set objectives of identifying the risk factors associated with diarrhea and determining the biochemical characteristic of E. coli isolates. A total of 30 stool samples were collected from patients with age ranging from zero to thirty (0-30) years, positive E. coli showed that only zero to five years age range of the respondents had the highest positive 10(38.5%).Stool specimens collected from patients were inoculated onto MacConkey and pink and colorless colonies on the media were sub cultured into Eosin methylene blue and Salmonella Shigella agar. The presumptive E. coli isolates that appeared as green metallic sheen on Eosin Methylene Blue agar were picked and confirmed biochemically as E. coli using biochemical test procedure. The confirmed E. coli isolates were then cultured on Rhamnose Sorbitol MacConkey Agar supplemented with Cefixime medium (Oxoid SR 172) and the isolates appeared colorless on CR- SMAC. 26 (72.22%) of the 30 samples yielded E. coli and 8(22.22%) of yielded positive salmonella spp and 2(5.6%) also yield positive Shigellaspp.The prevalence rate of 2 (7.7%) was recorded for Escherichia coli O157:H7. The presence of Enterohaemorhagic E. coli O157:H7 in Dutsin-ma town is no longer in doubt. We advocate that a more intense and well planned public enlightenment be mounted by our sanitary health officials, while cases of gastroenteritis with bloody or non-bloody diarrhea be properly investigated bacteriologically.