Longitudinal study of diarrhoeal disease in a peri-urban community in Manaus (Amazon-Brazil).

A 20-month longitudinal study of diarrhoeal disease was carried out in a poor peri-urban community of Manaus (Amazon-Brazil), and the attack rate of this disease ranged from 0·2 to 4·8 episodes of diarrhoea per person per year. The age group most affected was 0 to 35 months old. A probable aetiological agent was identified in 68 of the 110 faecal samples collected. The most frequent enteropathogens isolated were enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Giardia lamblia. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was also isolated from stream-water and from flies collected inside a household.