NON-0157 VERO CYTOTOXIN-PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA-COLI - ETIOLOGIC AGENTSOF DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN IN DUNEDIN, NEW-ZEALAND

Strains of Escherichia coli that produce Vero cytotoxin (VTEC) commonl y cause diarrhoea. haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic-uraemic syndrom e in many northern hemisphere countries. In these countries, serotype O157:H7/H - predominates and has caused large food-borne outbreaks of infection. In contrast, few cases of infection with this serotype have been reported in New Zealand. Over a 3-month period, 484 stool specim ens submitted to medical laboratories in Dunedin were screened for E. coli O157:H7/H - using sorbitol MacConkey agar, Y1 and Vero cell assay s. Where possible, Vero cytotoxin production was confirmed by an ELISA test. Specimens from children aged 12 years or less were additionally screened for non-O157 VTEC. In the specimens of the children tested, O157:H7/H - VTEC was not isolated, but VTEC belonging to other serogro ups were isolated from the children. Of interest was the detection of other species of Enterobacteriaceae, which produced a cytopathic effec t on Vero cells. This study confirms the low incidence of infection wi th O157:H7/H - VTEC in New Zealand and suggests that non-O157 VTEC is a more important cause of diarrhoeal disease. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd.