title: The microbial etiologies of diarrhea in hospitalized patients from the Puerto Rico Medical Center Hospitals.
abstract: The development of diarrhea in hospitalized patients is a frequently encountered clinical problem, which may be due to infectious or non-infectious causes. The purpose of this study was to identify which common community enteric pathogens, if any, are responsible for diarrheal episodes in hospitalized patients. Stool samples from 76 consecutive, hospitalized patients were analyzed utilizing routine bacterial cultures, smears for identification of ova and parasites and Enzyme-Link Immunoadsorbent Assay (ELISA) for enteric bacteria, parasites and viruses. The results obtained demonstrated that the usual community enteric pathogens were not identified as a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea. In hospital-acquired diarrhea, Clostridium difficile toxins assay was the only clinically significant test in the evaluation of these patients. As a result of this study a guideline for the management of this condition in hospitalized patients is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrer
authors.forename: Guillermo J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Rafael I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Lebrón
authors.forename: Xiomara
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mercado
authors.forename: Idalí
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Carmen O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santé
authors.forename: Iraida E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Robledo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology