Abstract

Receive: RSS Feeds, eTOCs, free email alerts (when new articles cite this article), more» Information about commercial reprint orders: http://jcm.asm.org/site/misc/reprints.xhtml To subscribe to to another ASM Journal go to: http://journals.asm.org/site/subscriptions/ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR J. CLIN. MICROBIOL. The recent paper by H. E. Muller (3) on the role of the Morganella-Proteus-Providencia group in diarrheal disease raises some important points. Previous reports have speculated on the role of these organisms in gastrointestinal disease (1, 2, 4). To date, no specific mechanism of pathogenicity has been described which links the Proteeae with infectious diarrhea. The prevalence study reported by Dr. Muller is important in that it surveys a large population for the carriage of members of the Proteeae; however, a more complete investigation would include comprehensive screening of diarrheal stools for all known agents of infectious diarrhea: bacterial, viral, and parasitic. It is possible that infection with well-documented enteropathogens allows these organisms to establish colonization and grow in the fecal flora. Only by ruling out other etiologic agents can conclusions be drawn as to the role of the MorganellaProteus-Providencia group in gastrointestinal pathology. LITERATURE CITED 1. Brown, G. W. 1952. Anaerogenic paracolon bacilli associated with gastroenteritis in children. Med. J.