Risk Factors for Sporadic Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Infections in Children, Argentina
- Marta Rivas
- Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Josefa Rangel
- Maria G. Caletti
- Patricia Vallés
- Carlos D. Roldán
- Laura Balbi
- Maria C. Marsano de Mollar
- Diego Amoedo
- Elizabeth Miliwebsky
- Isabel Chinen
- Robert M. Hoekstra
- Paul S. Mead
- Patricia M. Griffin
DOIAbstract
We evaluated risk factors for sporadic Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection among children in Argentina. We conducted a prospective case–control study in 2 sites and enrolled 150 case-patients and 299 controls. The median age of case-patients was 1.8 years; 58% were girls. Serotype O157:H7 was the most commonly isolated STEC. Exposures associated with infection included eating undercooked beef, living in or visiting a place with farm animals, and contact with a child <5 years of age with diarrhea. Protective factors included the respondent reporting that he or she always washed hands after handling raw beef and the child eating more than the median number of fruits and vegetables. Many STEC infections in children could be...
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