To the Editor.—
Colonic irrigation has been associated with transmission of enteric infections, including amebiasis and shigellosis.1,2 A large, well-documented outbreak of amebiasis in Colorado linked to colonic irrigation at a chiropractic clinic involved 36 cases with six deaths. We report the isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila from the reservoir of a colonic irrigation machine of the type commonly used by colonic practitioners. The device was seized by Los Angeles Police Department officers during a vice raid of a local sex establishment described as a "bondage and dominance parlor."
Methods.—
Swabs were obtained for bacteriologic cultures from the reservoir, which had approximately 5 mL of liquid remaining, and from the terminal hose of the device. Laboratory procedures were geared toward the recovery of Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter. Samples were inoculated onto Campylobacter cefoperazone/vancomycin/amphotericin B agar and into gramnegative broth, from which several selective and/or differential enteric agars were plated for