Enteroaggregative and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli among isolates frompatients with diarrhea in Austria

In a 3-month prospective study among 203 Austrian outpatients with diarrhea , the role of pathogenic Escherichia coli and the use of the polymerase cha in reaction in screening Escherichia coil isolates from clinical stool spec imens were evaluated. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and enterotoxigeni c Escherichia coli combined were identified as the second most frequent cau se of diarrhea, Of a total of 85 bacterial pathogens isolated from 80 patie nts, 15 were pathogenic Escherichia coli, 13 enteroaggregative Escherichia coil and two enterotoxigenic Escherichia coil, Enteropathogenic, enteroinva sive, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichin coli isolates were not detected.