Bacteria present:
-Motile
-Gram-negative
-Vibrio/curved rod
-Could not oxidize or ferment glucose
-Non-spore forming
Questions:
1. What is the etiologic agent? Please note that the correct organism matches ALL of the above descriptors.
2. What was the probable source of infection?
3. Name one way the risk for infection could have been reduced.
4. Is there the potential for long-term complications following infection with this organism?
A group of elementary school students went on a field trip to a local farm. While there, they petted goats and sheep. They also helped the farm staff collect eggs from the chicken coop. Bagged lunches were provided by the school and consisted of a peanut butter sandwich, an apple, a bag of corn chips, and bottled water. Three to six days after the trip, approximately 40% of the students in the classroom came down with diarrhea. Since this was a small town, 9 of those students ended up going to the same pediatrician for treatment. The physician made the following observations from stool samples collected from his patients:
Seven of the nine students had a unique bacterium present in the stool compared to healthy controls.