BACTERIAL-FLORA OF TASMANIAN SIDS INFANTS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PATHOGENIC STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI

The general bacterial flora of 38 Tasmanian SIDS infants was examined together with faecal flora of 134 comparison infants ranging in age fr om birth to 6 months. The microflora of all specimens received was inv estigated with special emphasis on the toxigenic Escherichia coli (TEC ). Samples were examined for verocytotoxigenic E. coli, free faecal ve rocytotoxin (FVT), heat labile toxin (LT) and heat stable toxin (ST) p roducers with the use of a Vero cell assay and commercial kits. The fi ndings of this study revealed a high isolation rate (39%) of TEC from SIDS infants as compared to 1.5% from the healthy comparison infants. Atypical E. coli strains were also identified during the study, includ ing E. coli A-D. An analysis of the same specimens for rotaviral and a denoviral antigens indicated that 30% of the SIDS cases were positive as compared to 20% in the comparison group.