1. Seasonal variation in etiology of travelers' diarrhea. Finnish-Moroccan Study Group.
- Author
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Mattila L, Siitonen A, Kyrönseppä H, Simula I, Oksanen P, Stenvik M, Salo P, and Peltola H
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aeromonas isolation & purification, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Campylobacter Infections epidemiology, Diarrhea epidemiology, Dysentery, Bacillary epidemiology, Escherichia coli Infections epidemiology, Feces microbiology, Female, Finland, Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections epidemiology, Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections microbiology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Morocco, Rotavirus Infections epidemiology, Rotavirus Infections microbiology, Salmonella Infections epidemiology, Seasons, Travel, Campylobacter Infections microbiology, Diarrhea microbiology, Dysentery, Bacillary microbiology, Escherichia coli Infections microbiology, Salmonella Infections microbiology
- Abstract
The etiology of travelers' diarrhea was studied in 579 adult Finnish tourists participating in two packaged tours to Morocco in the winter (n = 233) and fall (n = 346) of 1989. A research team accompanied the travelers, and a laboratory for enteric pathogens was established in Agadir. At least one pathogen was found in 62% of the 60 diarrhea cases in winter and in 58% of the 111 diarrhea cases in fall. Multiple pathogens were found less often in winter (8%) than in fall (21%, P less than .05). Campylobacter strains were the leading cause of travelers' diarrhea in winter, found alone or with other pathogens in 28% of the cases (but in only 7% in fall), whereas enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) was the most common pathogen in fall, present in 32% of the cases (8% in winter). Both differences are highly significant (P less than .001). Salmonella enterica was almost as common as ETEC in fall (25% of diarrhea cases) but rare in winter (10%, P less than .05). Thus, the etiology of travelers' diarrhea varied according to the season in the same tourist destination. This finding has relevance to both antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis.
- Published
- 1992
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