[Characteristics of the serological passage of Escherichia isolated from children and adults with acute intestinal infections].

The serological picture of Escherichia (5,910 strains), isolated from 1,430 inpatients (486 adults and 944 children) with acute intestinal infections by means of new diagnostic preparations (Escherichia rapid agglutinating O- and H-systems), was studied. In 15% of the adults and 26-28% of the children no Escherichia were detected. The serological picture of Escherichia proved to comprise 143 O-groups and 334 serovars; about 50% of the strains belonged to 11 prevailing O-groups: O1, O2, O4, O6, O7, O8, O9, O16, O21, O75, O85. The serological picture in the adults was more variegated than that in the children: from most of the patients (77.2%) Escherichia were isolated as a mixture of 2-9 serovars. The isolation rate of Escherichia monocultures and the incidence of Escherichia belonging to different O-groups were the same in patients of different ages, with the exception of groups O4, O6, O26, O55 and O111 which were more frequent in young children.