Cross-infection in infantile gastroenteritis.

Ironside, A. G., Brennand, J., Mandal, B. K., and Heyworth, B. (1971). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 46, 815. Cross-infection in infantile gastroenteritis. It is not entirely possible to prevent hospital cross-infection in infantile gastroenteritis by the use of conventional barrier-nursing techniques, even with experienced staff in well-designed wards. An incident of double cross-infection due to enteropathic Esch. coli types 0119 and 0126 and the measures that were taken to control it are described. The type 0119 infections were clinically severe, and the cases showed significant levels of serum antibody to the organism, while the type 0126 infections were clinically mild and no antibody was produced. The use of the antibiotic colistin, to which both organisms were originally sensitive, may have been of some value in clearing the type 0119 infection but was without effect