Enterotoxin-producing bacteria and parasites in stools of Ethiopian children with diarrhoeal disease.

TLDR

Enterotoxin production was assessed in two colonies per patient using rabbit ileal loop, rabbit skin, and adrenal cell assays. Enterotoxinogenic bacteria were found in 37 % of 354 Ethiopian children, predominantly non‑E.

Abstract

Enterotoxinogenic bacteria were isolated from 131 (37%) of 354 Ethiopian infants and children with acute gastrointestinal symptoms. Only one of these isolates belonged to the classical enteropathogenic serotypes of Esch. coli. Two colonies from each patient were isolated and tested for production of enterotoxin by the rabbit ileal loop test, the rabbit skin test, and an adrenal cell assay. However, only 38% of the isolated enterotoxinogenic strains were Esch. coli; the others belonged to Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus, Citrobacter, Serratia, and Aeromonas. In 18 patients both isolates were toxinogenic and belonged to different species. The incidence of intestinal parasites was 35% with no apparent correlation to the occurrence of toxinogenic bacteria in the stools.