Diagnosis of Enteric Infections: Microbiological Methods and Protocols

Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestine, and enteric infections refer to infections of the intestines. This book deals with all the major enteropathogens (microorganisms that infect the intestine and cause disease) encountered in the family Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae, their isolation and detection methods, animal assays for detection of enterotoxins, important biochemical tests and various standard antibiotic sensitivity assays. The guidelines in the book are designed to increase the capability of laboratories intending to isolate and identify the etiological agents of important enteric infections so that they may provide better support to such disease-control and research activities. For several tests, more than one technique has been provided so that laboratories can choose the most appropriate for their purpose.