Isolation of enteric pathogens and caliform bacteria from infant feeding bottle content in Addis Ababa; Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Gastro-enteritis causing bacterial pathogens were studied in infant feeding bottle-contents collected from 24 feeding bottles which were brought to 5 clinics and 2 hospitals from January to November 1989 in Addis Ababa; Ethiopia. The most frequent bacterial isolates were coliform which included Enterobacter spp.; klebsiella spp.; faecal E. coli and cotrobacter spp. Enteric pathogens like entero-pathogenic E. Coli (EPEC); Shigella spp.; and Staph. aureus; constituted respectively 9 (3. per cent); 1 (0.01 per cent); 9 (2.2 per cent) of the total isolates. Although the percent of isolation of enteric pathogens in this study is low; the frequent isolation of Coliform from samples of bottle-contents suggests that the bottle-feeding serves as vehicle in transmission of the enteric pathogens in the studied population. Bottle-feeding mothers should be constantly taught on proper handling of feeding utensils and feeds. Above all the superior quality of breast milk needs to be emphasized to nursing mothers. Moreover; further and well controlled studies are also recommended to reduce diarrhoeal diseases in infant and young children