ETIOLOGY OF TRAVELERS DIARRHEA IN SPANISH TRAVELERS TO DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES

A cohort of 337 Spanish travellers to developing countries is presente d. They all consulted us for traveller's diarrhea (TD). Bacteriologica l, parasitological and virological examinations were performed. A bact erial cause was found in 61.65% of travellers. Toxigenic and classical pathogenic Escherichia coli strains were the main bacterial agents. I n comparison with other studies, Spanish travellers harboured Y. enter ocolitica and EPEC organisms as a cause of TD. G. lamblia and E. histo lytica were the most frequently isolated protozoa. Helminths were foun d in only 9 patients. No rotavirus infections were diagnosed. Previous antibiotic treatment had been taken by 161 patients. The percentage o f isolated enteropathogens was similar in travellers who had previousl y taken antibiotic treatment and those who had not.