Enteroaggregative and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli among isolates from patients with diarrhea in Austria.

In a 3-month prospective study among 203 Austrian outpatients with diarrhea, the role of pathogenic Escherichia coli and the use of the polymerase chain reaction in screening Escherichia coli isolates from clinical stool specimens were evaluated. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli combined were identified as the second most frequent cause of diarrhea. Of a total of 85 bacterial pathogens isolated from 80 patients, 15 were pathogenic Escherichia coli, 13 enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and two enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Enteropathogenic, enteroinvasive, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli isolates were not detected.