Identification of all causative microorganisms was performed by classic microbiologic methods.
All stool samples were cultured by using classic microbiologic methods to detect Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Yersinia spp. and were microscopically examined for Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia spp. Methods are described in the Technical Appendix.
Enterococci were isolated from infected patients by classical microbiologic techniques (3).
S. aureus isolates were identified by standard microbiologic methods.
The isolates were cultured and identified by standard microbiologic methods (6 ).
Specimens were processed by standard microbiologic methods at the Maryland Department of Health laboratory (12).
All fecal samples were tested for common bacterial diarrheal pathogens by routine microbiologic methods, as described (9 ).
Results were also negative for 88 clinical and environmental isolates, which were determined by standard microbiologic methods not to be B. anthracis (specificity 100%, 95% CI 96%to100%0%to100%
In addition, 88 isolates from environmental and clinical specimens, which were confirmed not to be B. anthracis by standard microbiologic methods were tested.
All samples were analyzed prospectively by using conventional microbiologic methods in Algiers.
