Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 52, 16-17, 1999

Short Communication
Enterotoxigenicity of Klebsiella pneumoniae Associated with Childhood Gastroenteritis in Madras, India

Sourirajan Ananthan * , Sivadas Raju and Shankar Alavandi

Department of Microbiology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical
Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Madras 600 113, India

(Received December 22, 1997. Accepted October 28, 1998)

SUMMARY: Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated as the predominant growth
from 12 of 100 children under 3 years of age suffering from acute diarrhea. 
Of the 12 isolates, SA1, SA2, SA4, SA5, SA6 produced a secretogenic 
response in the ligated rabbit ileal loop, and one isolate, SA3, induced 
a diarrheagenic response in suckling mice. Two isolates, SA7 and SA8, 
were diarrheagenic in both assays.  Strains SA9, SA10, SA11, and SA12 
were found to be non-enterotoxigenic. These isolates belonged to serotypes 
K6, 16, 25, 30, 39, 46, 49, 53, 66, and 81. All eight enterotoxigenic strains 
were resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, ceftazidime, cefuroxime, and 
cotrimoxazole. Only quinolones such as ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin 
appear to be effective against enterotoxigenic K. pneumoniae.

*Corresponding anthor: e-mail: saravanan83@hotmail.com.

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