TABLE 2.
Clinical characterization of EPEC-positive children from Brazilian semiarid region infected with typical versus atypical EPEC isolatesa
| Characteristic | Values for children infected with: |
P valueb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (n = 174) | Typical EPEC (n = 22) | Atypical EPEC (n = 152) | ||
| Mean ± SD Z-score for the following anthropometric measures: | ||||
| HAZ | −0.5277 ± 1.599 | −0.1786 ± 1.526 | −0.5786 ± 1.608 | 0.1546 |
| WAZ | 0.2498 ± 1.194 | 0.2686 ± 1.158 | 01205 ± 1.436 | 0.5843 |
| WHZ | 0.7541 ± 1.550 | 0.3491 ± 1.453 | 0.8135 ± 1.559 | 0.0094 |
| Diarrhea | ||||
| Mean ± SD no. of days of diarrhea duration | 4.21 ± 1.376 | 3.77 ± 1.445 | 4.28 ± 1.359 | 0.0102 |
| Mean ± SD no. of episodes/day | 4.49 ± 0.831 | 4.31 ± 0.646 | 4.52 ± 0.853 | 0.1460 |
| No. (%) of children with mucus in stool | 12 (6.8) | 2 (9.09) | 10 (6.5) | 0.6510 |
| No. (%) of children with the following symptoms; | ||||
| Fever (≥37.3°C) | 56 (32.1) | 6 (27.2) | 50 (32.9) | 0.8076 |
| Abdominal pain | 19 (10.9) | 3 (13.6) | 16 (10.5) | 0.7130 |
| Vomiting | 66 (37.9) | 7 (31.8) | 59 (38.8) | 0.6410 |
| Dehydration | 71 (40.8) | 6 (27.2) | 65 (42.7) | 0.2455 |
| Respiratory symptoms | 35 (20.1) | 7 (31.8) | 28 (18.4) | 0.1582 |
| No. (%) of children with the following behavioral signs: | ||||
| Inquietude | 63 (36.2) | 4 (18.1) | 59 (38.8) | 0.0945 |
| Weakness | 38 (21.8) | 5 (22.7) | 33 (21.7) | 1.0000 |
a
HAZ, height-for-age Z-score; WAZ, weight-for-age Z-score; WHZ, weight-for-height Z-score; EPEC, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.
b
P values were obtained from Fisher’s exact tests (a P value of <0.05 was considered significant). Values with statistical significance are highlighted in bold.