Escherichia coli gastro-enteritis

Abstract

Pathogenic varieties of E. coli were found in 1 % of faecal specimens from babies under 1 year old living at home. The infection rate was shown to be at least 25 % per annum. Outbreaks of E. coli gastro-enteritis caused by E. coli 055 B5 H2 were traced through six hospitals in South Wales. Transference of infection from one hospital to another was shown to be via infected babies. Infection by pathogenic strains of E. coli is common among babies living at home, but there would appear to be a great variation in virulence from variety to variety and our hospitals, by a process of selection, are breeding the more virulent ones. The breeding in hospitals of strains of bacteria of enhanced virulence is not a new observation, but E. coli gastro-enteritis presents yet another example.