The effect of travel on faecal Escherichia coli serotypes

In a study on the serotypes of Escherichia coli which are present in the faeces of students travelling from many parts of the world to Dublin, a great variety of types was found. It was not possible to relate certain types to the various parts of the world where the students came from. There was no decrease in variety of serotypes after the students had been in Dublin for a few months and no distinctive 'Dublin' types were acquired. Serological variation of the E. coli was suggested as partially explaining some of the variety of the serotypes found. Although eight students developed diarrhoea without an aetiological agent being isolated after arrival in Dublin, no distinct pattern of E. coli could be related to this.