Gastroenteritis is the major cause of mortality worldwide and especially in Africa [1]. Most of the deaths occur in children under 5 years [2]. Gastroenteritis has a wide range of etiological agents that include viruses such as Rotavirus and Adenovirus that account for about 66.7% and 8.3% of acute gastroenteritis in children respectively [3]; protozoa such as Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia intestinalis play a major role in causing enteric associated infections [4]; and coliform bacilli that are associated with fatal diarrheagenic infections [5]. Of all these pathogens, E. coli accounts for about 23% of total gastroenteric infection [6]. E. coli has been associated with diarrhea among children in Chile [7] and India [8]. In Kenya, E. coli has also been associated with persistent drug resistant diarrhea among children. A survey across selected hospitals in Kenya reported
that E. coli was responsible for 11.2% of all diarrhea cases [9]. Among the challenges, facing the efforts to control gastroenteritis is the emergence of multidrug resistance [9]. A surge in antibiotic resistance is generally attributed to the selective pressure exerted due to overuse of antibiotics both in the treatment of human diseases and at sub-therapeutic levels as additives in livestock feed [10]. E. coli is among the leading cause of resistance to ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline in Kenya [9]. However it remains unknown whether E. coli contributes to prolonged periods of medication and potentially to drug resistance in Trans-Nzoia County in Kenya.