Prolonged fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli among children attending day-care centers in Argentina.
In this report we describe the detection and duration of fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coil (STEC) O157 and non-O157 in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases during four events occurred among children in day-care centers in Argentina. In each event, the cases were identified among children, family contacts and staff members of the Institution. The isolates were characterized by pheno-genotyping and subtyping methods. The STEC fecal shedding was prolonged and intermittent. Strains O157:H7 (1st event); O26:H11 (2nd event); O26:H11 (3rd event) and O145:NM (4th event) were shed during 23-30, 37, 31 and 19 days, respectively. Considering the possibility of STEC intermittent long-term shedding, symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals should be excluded from the Institution until two consecutive stool cultures obtained at least 48 h apart, test negative.
Miliwebsky
E
E
Servicio Fisiopatogenia, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 563 (1281) Buenos Aires, Argentina. emiliwebsky@anlis.gov.ar
Deza
N
N
Chinen
I
I
Martinez Espinosa
E
E
Gomez
D
D
Pedroni
E
E
Caprile
L
L
Bashckier
A
A
Manfredi
E
E
Leotta
G
G
Rivas
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D005192:Family Health; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D022603:Shiga Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
D022603:Shiga Toxins