Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli associated with an outbreak of diarrhoea in a neonatal nursery ward.
Over a 9-day period in February 1995, 16 newborn babies (age range 2-11 days) and 3 infants (24, 47 and 180 days of age) in a neonatal nursery ward developed diarrhoea accompanied by pyrexia and weight loss. Known enteropathogens were not detected in their stools but Escherichia coli displaying aggregative adherence to HEp-2 cells (enteroaggregative E. coli) were found in 12 (63%) ill infants and in none of 5 well neonates (P = 0.02). The illness lasted 3-9 days (mean 5.2) in 16 babies, whereas in 3 neonates it showed a protracted course of 18-20 days. The source of infection and the mode of transmission remained unclear. The outbreak isolates manifested properties common in this new group of diarrhoeagenic E. coli: mannose-resistant haemagglutination, haemolysis on blood agar, and clump formation in liquid culture medium. They belonged to the O4 E. coli serogroup and expressed multiple antibiotic resistance.
Cobeljić
M
M
Institute of Preventive Medicine, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia.
Miljković-Selimović
B
B
Paunović-Todosijević
D
D
Velicković
Z
Z
Lepsanović
Z
Z
Zec
N
N
Savić
D
D
Ilić
R
R
Konstantinović
S
S
Jovanović
B
B
Kostić
V
V
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology