ETIOLOGY OF DIARRHEAL DISEASES AND THE HEALTHY CARRIER OF ENTEROPATHOGENS IN VIENTIANE, PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF LAO

Abstract

Etiologic bacteria of 135 cases with diarrheal diseases and the healthy carrier rate in 211 individuals were studied in People's Democratic Republic of Lao. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Shigella and Campylobacter were the predominant pathogens isolated. This country does not face the sea, but Vibrio Parahaermolyticus was isolated from 2 cases. Healthy carrier rate of enteropathogenic E. coli as diagnosed by serogroup Class I was 3 times higher than the detection rate in diarrheal patients (10.9% and 3.7%). Healthy carrier rate of Shigella was 4.3%, whereas the detection rate of Shigella in diarrheal patients was 15.4%. The isolation frequencies of enterotoxigenic E. coli and Campylobacter jejuni in the patients and healthy individuals were almost the same. Verotoxin producing E. coli was found in one healthy individual (Toxin type VT1, O-antigen O111). Rotavirus was not detected from the 29 infant diarrhea examined, but detected from 2 adult cases out of 32 examined.