Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhea of travelers: a prospective study of American Peace Corps volunteers

Johns Hopkins Med J. 1977 Aug;141(2):63-70.

Abstract

Travelers' diarrhea was studied prospectively in a group of 39 American Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) during their first five weeks in Kenya. Twenty-seven developed diarrheal disease and 12 remained well. Multiple episodes were documented in 11 of the symptomatic volunteers. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli of many serotypes producing heat-labile and/or heat-stable enterotoxin were isolated from 17 of the 27 volunteers with diarrhea and from 1 of the 12 well volunteers. The enterotoxigenic E. coli were more likely to be antibiotic sensitive than the non-enterotoxigenic E. coli. A serum antibody rise to the heat-labile toxin (LT) was detected in six symptomatic volunteers, five of whom had a positive culture for LT-producing E. coli, and from one asymptomatic, culture negative volunteer. Salmonella cubana was isolated from two volunteers, and three volunteers had serologic evidence of infection with human reovirus-like (rotavirus) agent. This study confirms the role of enterotoxigenic E. coli as a major cause of travelers' diarrhea and suggests that the disease is similar in widely separated geographic areas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Diarrhea / epidemiology*
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / diagnosis
  • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology*
  • Government Agencies*
  • Humans
  • International Cooperation*
  • Kenya
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Salmonella Infections / epidemiology
  • United States / ethnology
  • Volunteers