Campylobacter jejuni/coli and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in faeces from children and adults in Tanzania.

The occurrence of Campylobacter and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) was studied in faecal samples from Tanzanian children (< 5 years of age), adolescents and adults (only Campylobacter) with and without diarrhoea. The Campylobacter strains isolated were tested for subspecies, enterotoxigenicity and serotype. Out of 394 children with diarrhoea 18% were infected with Campylobacter and 20% with ETEC. In 278 samples tested for Campylobacter and 136 tested for ETEC from asymptomatic children the corresponding numbers were 12 and 5%, respectively. In children < 18 months with diarrhoea Campylobacter was noted in 22% and ETEC in 18%, whereas the figures were 11 and 4% respectively in asymptomatic children. In the age group 18 months to 5 years Campylobacter was demonstrated in 2% of the children with diarrhoea and 27% had ETEC, while the figures were 15 and 8% for asymptomatic children. Among adults the prevalence of Campylobacter-positive samples was 1% both for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. There were no seasonal differences in the prevalences of both Campylobacter and ETEC either in the symptomatic or the asymptomatic group. Campylobacter jejuni was the dominating Campylobacter species among both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. C. jejuni strains from patients with diarrhoea were significantly more often enterotoxigenic than were C. coli strains. The serotype pattern regarding Campylobacter was in general similar for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. We conclude that Campylobacter and ETEC are common causes of bacterial diarrhoea in Tanzanian children, and that Campylobacter infections are more important in children younger than 18 months, than in older ones.