Bacterial diarrhea in Laos, a region where cholera was endemic.

There were cholera outbreaks in Lao PDR since 1993. Two provinces were epidemic areas of cholera in 1993. However the area of cholera occurrence increased to 7 provinces through 1994. Then a bacterial survey had done for the purpose of public health improvement. EPEC was markedly isolated from the hospital in Vientiane. In apparent infection of Salmonella and non-01 Vibrio cholerae with soldiers stationed in the island in Mekong River belong to Vientiane were pointed out. The outbreak of diarrhea in suburban village of Vientiane, the diarrhea was not due to cholera but due to Shigella dysenteriae and Aeromonas sobria. As far as results in the capital city Vientiane and the Vientiane province go, it could say that there was no record and isolation of V. cholerae or non-01 V. cholerae 0139 in this study. On the contrary, Vibrio cholerae 01 serotype Eltor Ogawa was isolated although the community declared the end of the cholera outbreak. This study pointed out the importance of establishing sanitary conditions and health education systems in Lao PDR.