Risk factors for sporadic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infections in children, Argentina.
We evaluated risk factors for sporadic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection among children in Argentina. We conducted a prospective case-control study in 2 sites and enrolled 150 case-patients and 299 controls. The median age of case-patients was 1.8 years; 58% were girls. Serotype O157:H7 was the most commonly isolated STEC. Exposures associated with infection included eating undercooked beef, living in or visiting a place with farm animals, and contact with a child <5 years of age with diarrhea. Protective factors included the respondent reporting that he or she always washed hands after handling raw beef and the child eating more than the median number of fruits and vegetables. Many STEC infections in children could be prevented by avoiding consumption of undercooked beef, limiting exposure to farm animals and their environment, not being exposed to children with diarrhea, and washing hands after handling raw beef.
Rivas
Marta
M
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Sosa-Estani
Sergio
S
Rangel
Josefa
J
Caletti
Maria G
MG
Vallés
Patricia
P
Roldán
Carlos D
CD
Balbi
Laura
L
Marsano de Mollar
Maria C
MC
Amoedo
Diego
D
Miliwebsky
Elizabeth
E
Chinen
Isabel
I
Hoekstra
Robert M
RM
Mead
Paul
P
Griffin
Patricia M
PM
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D022621:Shiga Toxin