Enteric Pathogens in Mexican Sauces of Popular Restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas

18 June 2002 | Volume 136 Issue 12 | Pages 884-887

Background: The transmission of traveler's diarrhea is primarily foodborne.

Objective: To examine the level of microbial contamination of tabletop sauces found in Mexican-style restaurants.

Design: Cross-sectional study of Mexican sauces.

Setting: Mexican restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, during the summer of 1998.

Measurements: 71 sauces from Guadalajara and 25 sauces from Houston were examined. The number of sauces contaminated with Escherichia coli, the median number of E. coli colonies per gram of sauce, and enteropathogens were identified.

Results: 47 of 71 sauces from Guadalajara were contaminated with E. coli versus 10 of 25 sauces from Houston (P = 0.03); the median number of E. coli colonies per gram of sauce was 1000 in the Guadalajara sauces versus 0.0 in the Houston sauces (P = 0.007). Among sauces from Guadalajara tested for diarrheogenic E. coli, 4 of 43 sauces contained enterotoxigenic E. coli and 14 of 32 contained enteroaggregative E. coli.

Conclusions: Contamination with E. coli was common in samples of Mexican tabletop sauces from Guadalajara restaurants. These sauces commonly contained enteric pathogens.

Editors' Notes Context Traveler's diarrhea is a foodborne illness. Identification of potentially contaminated food types can help physicians counsel patients. Contribution These investigators tested Mexican-style condiment sauces from 36 restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico, and from 12 restaurants in Houston, Texas. Escherichia coli was present in 47 of 71 sauces from Guadalajara and 10 of 25 sauces from Houston. Enterotoxigenic E. coli was present in 4 of 43 tested sauces from Guadalajara; enteroaggregative E. coli was present in 14 of 32 tested sauces from Guadalajara. None of the Houston sauces contained enteropathogenic E. coli. Implications Restaurant condiment sauces are a potential source of E. coli enteropathogens in Guadalajara. –The Editors

 

Author and Article Information

From University of Texas, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank the participating members of their field and laboratory teams: Drs. Sylvia Botros, Catherine Devine, Mariela Glandt, David Martin, David McMillen, and Sara Woods and Ms. Carmen Pulido. They also thank Mrs. Margaret DuPont for valuable assistance.

Grant Support: By private funds from the University of Texas–Houston Medical School.

Requests for Single Reprints: Herbert L. DuPont, MD, Internal Medicine Service, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, 6720 Bertner Avenue, MC 1-164, Houston, TX 77030; e-mail, hdupont{at}sleh.com.

Current Author Addresses: Dr. Adachi: Center for Infectious Diseases, 6720 Bertner Avenue, MC 1-164, Houston, TX 77030.

Dr. Mathewson: Houston Department of Health and Human Services, 1115 Braeswood, Houston, TX 77030.

Dr. Jiang: Center for Infectious Diseases, 1200 Hermann Pressler, RAS W 706, Houston, TX 77030.

Dr. Ericsson: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas–Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, 1.722 JFB, Houston, TX 77030.

Dr. DuPont: Internal Medicine Service, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, 6720 Bertner Avenue, MC 1-164, Houston, TX 77030.

Author Contributions: Conception and design: J.A. Adachi, J.J. Mathewson, C.D. Ericsson, H.L. DuPont.

Analysis and interpretation of the data: J.A. Adachi, J.J. Mathewson, Z-D. Jiang, C.D. Ericsson, H.L. DuPont.

Drafting of the article: J.A. Adachi.

Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: J.A. Adachi, J.J. Mathewson, Z-D. Jiang, C.D. Ericsson, H.L. DuPont.

Final approval of the article: J.A. Adachi, J.J. Mathewson, Z-D. Jiang, C.D. Ericsson, H.L. DuPont.

Provision of study materials or patients: J.A. Adachi, Z-D. Jiang.

Statistical expertise: J.A. Adachi, C.D. Ericsson.

Obtaining of funding: J.J. Mathewson, C.D. Ericsson, H.L. DuPont.

Administrative, technical, or logistic support: J.A. Adachi, J.J. Mathewson, Z-D. Jiang, H.L. DuPont.

Collection and assembly of data: J.A. Adachi.