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Enterotoxin-producing bacteria in stools from Swedish United Nations Soldiers in Cyprus

Enterotoxigene Bakterien im Stuhl schwedischer UNO-Soldaten auf Zypern

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Summary

A study was designed to establish the role of heatlabile enterotoxin producingEscherichia coli and other intestinal pathogens in diarrhoeal disease in Swedish soldiers of the United Nations' Force in Cyprus. Before leaving Sweden for Cyprus, no enteropathogens were isolated from the soldiers. The study was performed from October 1975 through January 1976 and in August 1976. Enterotoxigenic strains ofE. coli, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter colacae andKlebsiella pneumoniae were the intestinal pathogens most frequently isolated from the cases of diarrhoea. Such strains were found in 14 of 79 diarrhoeal cases (18%) but also in 6 of 66 (9%) of next-bed-fellow controls and in 7 of 139 (5%) of healthy Cypriotic civilians. Few other pathogens were identified in the soldiers, but 9 of 139 (6%) of the Cypriots were carriers of cysts ofGiardia lamblia. The results indicate that enterotoxigenic bacteria were probably the most important cause of diarrhoea of those agents identified among the Swedish UN soldiers on Cyprus. Several soldiers were colonized with these strains without contracting diarrhoea.

Zusammenfassung

In der Zeit von Oktober 1975 bis Januar 1976 wurden an schwedischen Angehörigen der Streitkräfte der Vereinten Nationen (UNO) auf Zypern Untersuchungen zum Nachweis hitzeunbeständiger enterotoxigenerEscherichia coli und anderer pathogener Magen-Darm-Bakterien bei Diarrhöen vorgenommen. Vor ihrem Transport von Schweden nach Zypern konnten bei den Soldaten keine Enteropathogenen festgestellt werden. Bei den aufgetretenen Fällen von Diarrhöe zählten enterotoxigene Stämme vonE. coli, Citrobacter freundi, Enterobacter cloacae undKlebsiella pneumoniae zu den am häufigsten isolierten Pathogenen des Darmtrakts. Die Stämme waren zu finden bei Erkrankten in 14 von 79 Fällen (18%) sowie bei Kontrolluntersuchungen an 6 von 66 Bettnachbarn (9%) bzw. an 7 von 139 gesunden einheimischen Zivilisten (5%). Während andere Pathogene bei den Soldaten kaum nachgewiesen werden konnten, waren 9 von 139 Zyprioten vonGiardia lamblia befallen. Wie die Resultate belegen, müssen enterotoxigene Bakterien die hauptsächlichen Verursacher des bei den schwedischen UNO-Soldaten auf Zypern auftretenden Durchfalls sein. Mehrere Untersuchte waren außerdem von den Bakterien befallen, ohne jedoch an Diarrhöe zu erkranken.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases, Roslagstulls Hospital, Box 5901, S-114 89, Stockholm, Sweden

    E. Bäck &  M. Jonsson

  2. Department of Bacteriology, National Bacteriological Laboratory, S-105 21, Stockholm, Sweden

    T. Wadström

Authors
  1. E. Bäck
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  2. M. Jonsson
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  3. T. Wadström
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Bäck, E., Jonsson, M. & Wadström, T. Enterotoxin-producing bacteria in stools from Swedish United Nations Soldiers in Cyprus. Infection 6, 116–120 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01642259

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