The etiology of childhood diarrhea in northern coastal Peru: the 1989 Fuerzas Unidas Humanitarian Civic Action--a model for international and interservice cooperation, community service, and scientific opportunity.
As a humanitarian civic action project, American and Peruvian military medical personnel established a temporary clinic in Dos Palos, Peru. Fecal specimens from 20 diarrheic children and 10 non-diarrheic controls were tested for common agents of diarrhea. Enteropathogens detected in diarrheic stools were enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC; 30%), Aeromonas (20%), enteropathogenic E. coli (15%), and Campylobacter (15%). Isolates from control specimens were Aeromonas (10%) and Campylobacter (10%). ETEC-associated diarrhea was more common in this study (30%) than in three similar populations studied in Lima (2-16%). The results suggest that the northern coastal area of Peru is a relatively high-risk area for diarrhea caused by ETEC.
Pazzaglia
G
G
U.S. Naval Medical Research Institute Detachment, Miami, FL 34031.
Podgore
J
J
Mercado
W
W
Martinez
A
A
Urteaga
A
A
Echevarry
E
E
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008493:Medical Missions; D008887:Military Medicine; D010568:Peru; D014481:United States