Abstract
It is not entirely possible to prevent hospital cross-infection in infantile gastroenteritis by the use of conventional barrier-nursing techniques, even with experienced staff in well-designed wards. An incident of double cross-infection due to enteropathic Esch. coli types O119 and O126 and the measures that were taken to control it are described. The type O119 infections were clinically severe, and the cases showed significant levels of serum antibody to the organism, while the type O126 infections were clinically mild and no antibody was produced. The use of the antibiotic colistin, to which both organisms were originally sensitive, may have been of some value in clearing the type O119 infection but was without effect on the type O126 infection, which continued to spread during treatment. A degree of resistance to colistin was found in some strains of the type O126 organism isolated after treatment. The outbreaks largely ended spontaneously, but may have been limited in extent by the administrative measures described. The use of antibiotics in infantile gastroenteritis is reviewed and a plea is made for a modern large-scale trial to reassess their value.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Ironside A. G., Tuxford A. F., Heyworth B. A survey of infantile gastroenteritis. Br Med J. 1970 Jul 4;3(5713):20–24. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5713.20. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lamb R. Colistin sulphate in the treatment of specific bacterial intestinal infections. Scott Med J. 1968 Jan;13(1):9–12. doi: 10.1177/003693306801300102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Valman H. B., Wilmers M. J. Use of antibiotics in acute gastroenteritis among infants in hospital. Lancet. 1969 Jun 7;1(7606):1122–1123. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)91643-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilmers M. J., Valman H. B. Antibiotics in acute gastroenteritis. Lancet. 1969 Jul 12;2(7611):113–114. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)92433-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]