Association of Escherichia coli O157:H7 with necrotizing enterocolitis in a full-term infant

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency of the neonate. NEC is predominantly seen in premature infants; however, in rare instances it can affect full-term infants as well. Although the pathogenesis of NEC remains elusive, it is well established that bacterial colonization is required for development of this disease. In this report, we present a case of a full-term infant, who developed a very aggressive form of NEC and was found to have Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 both in stool and blood cultures. Unfortunately, despite aggressive surgical and intensive care management, this infant suffered pan-intestinal necrosis and expired. We were not able to establish the route of transmission. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the association of E. coli O157:H7 with NEC. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.