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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 1998, p. 2195-2199, Vol. 36, No. 8
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Etiological Study of Diarrheal Patients in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Tetsu Yamashiro,1,* Noboru Nakasone,2 Naomi Higa,2 Masaaki Iwanaga,2 Sithat Insisiengmay,3 Traykhouane Phounane,3 Khampheuy Munnalath,3 Noikaseumsy Sithivong,3 Lay Sisavath,3 Boonang Phanthauamath,3 Khampheng Chomlasak,3 Phonsamay Sisulath,3 and Praseunthong Vongsanith3

Research Center of Comprehensive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,1 and Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medicine,2 University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-01, Japan, and National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Lao People's Democratic Republic3

Received 5 January 1998/Returned for modification 19 February 1998/Accepted 24 April 1998

The etiological agents of diarrhea in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), were studied in the period from October 1996 to August 1997. A total of 880 patients with diarrhea visiting medical facilities were examined for Shigella, Salmonella, diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Campylobacter, and rotavirus. Shigella spp., heat-stable enterotoxin (ST)-producing E. coli, and serogroup-based enteropathogenic E. coli were found to be the main organisms causing diarrhea in Vientiane, with frequencies of 16.8% (148 of 880), 17.2% (111 of 645), and 11.0% (97 of 880), respectively. Relatively low incidences were observed in the cases of Salmonella spp., (0.6%; 5 of 880), Campylobacter spp. (4.4%; 39 of 880), and rotavirus (6.1%; 9 of 148), and no isolates of V. cholerae O1 or O139 or Aeromonas were recovered. An analysis of the incidences of enteropathogens with respect to age and seasonal variations demonstrated that the frequencies of isolation of Shigella spp. and heat-labile enterotoxin-producing E. coli were significantly higher in those aged 1 to 5 years than in those younger than 1 year of age and those older than 5 years of age (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and that the frequencies of isolation of Shigella spp. and ST-producing E. coli were significantly higher in the rainy season than in the dry season (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively). Almost all strains of Shigella spp. tested were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin and were susceptible to cefdinir and ofloxacin. This is the first intensive and longitudinal study to define the etiologic agents of diarrheal diseases in Lao PDR.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Research Center of Comprehensive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara Nishihara, Okinawa 903-01, Japan. Phone: 81-98-895-3331, ext. 2287. Fax: 81-98-895-2951. E-mail: tetsu{at}med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 1998, p. 2195-2199, Vol. 36, No. 8
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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