Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Detection and Genogrouping of Noroviruses from Children's Stools By Taqman One-step RT-PCR
15:16

Detection and Genogrouping of Noroviruses from Children's Stools By Taqman One-step RT-PCR

Published on: July 22, 2012

Asymptomatic salmonellosis among children in day-care centers in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico

R A Oberhelman1, J Flores-Abuxapqui, G Suarez-Hoil

  • 1Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. oberhel@tulane.edu

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|December 6, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Salmonella was the most common enteropathogen in Mexican child day-care centers (DCC). Multiple sources of Salmonella infection were identified in children and teachers, complicating infection control efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Child day-care centers (DCC) are increasingly prevalent globally, presenting unique health challenges.
  • Limited data exists on enteropathogen prevalence in DCC within tropical, developing countries.
  • Diarrhea is a known issue in DCC, but specific pathogen data is scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a 12-month longitudinal surveillance of enteropathogens in two child day-care centers (DCC) in Mérida, Mexico.
  • To identify the prevalence and types of enteropathogens affecting children attending DCC.
  • To investigate potential sources of infection within the DCC environment.

Main Methods:

  • A 12-month surveillance study involving 78 children (2 months to 4 years) in two Mérida DCC.
  • Monthly stool cultures were performed on children, with demographic and clinical data collected.
  • Enteropathogens were identified using microbiological culture techniques.

Main Results:

  • Salmonella species were the most frequent enteropathogen (6.7%), particularly in children under 18 months.
  • Giardia lamblia (3.0%) and LT-producing enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (2.3%) were also identified.
  • Salmonella was detected in teachers (10.6%) and multiple serotypes suggested diverse infection sources, not a single outbreak.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple sources of Salmonella infection are present in Mexican child day-care centers.
  • The diversity of Salmonella serotypes complicates effective infection control strategies.
  • These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions in DCC settings in developing countries.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

Culture Methods to Determine the Limit of Detection and Survival in Transport Media of Campylobacter Jejuni in Human Fecal Specimens08:23

Culture Methods to Determine the Limit of Detection and Survival in Transport Media of Campylobacter Jejuni in Human Fecal Specimens

Published on: March 10, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Reservoir of Infection01:30

Reservoir of Infection

Infectious diseases arise from intricate interactions between pathogens and their reservoirs. A reservoir of infection refers to the natural habitat where a pathogen lives, grows, and multiplies, serving as a continual source of infection. Reservoirs are broadly classified as either living or nonliving, and each plays a unique role in disease transmission, significantly influencing public health interventions and control strategies.Humans act as reservoirs for a wide array of pathogens,...
Bacterial Gastroenteritis01:18

Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...
Cholera01:25

Cholera

Cholera is an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route through the ingestion of contaminated water or food.Vibrio cholerae is a motile, Gram-negative bacterium of the family Vibrionaceae, primarily associated with waterborne outbreaks in areas with inadequate sanitation. Although over 200 serogroups of V. cholerae exist, only O1 and O139 are responsible for epidemic cholera. The O1 serogroup,...
Poliomyelitis01:17

Poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis is caused by poliovirus, a small, non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family and Enterovirus genus. Transmission occurs primarily via the fecal-oral route, often through ingestion of contaminated water or food. The virus initially replicates in the oropharynx and intestinal mucosa, particularly in lymphoid tissues such as the tonsils, Peyer’s patches, and regional lymph nodes. Primary viremia follows, allowing dissemination throughout the body.In most...
Giardiasis01:12

Giardiasis

Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
Amebiasis01:28

Amebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...