ABSTRACT
Zinc and copper status was evaluated in forty children suffering from diarrhea and twenty healthy controls. Clinical history and examination, hemogram, stool analysis, ad culture, and X-Ray were done for analysis purpose. Serum zinc was depressed in the acute diarrhea group [107.8 +/- 22.19 micro g/dl] and more decrease occurred in the chronic diarrhea [85.2 +/- 3.84 micro g/*dl] when compared with both the acute [P< 0.01] and control group [P< 0.001]. Serum copper was similar I both acute and control groups, but it was diminished in the chronic diarrhea group when compared with acute diarrhea and control group [P< 0.001]. Thus, it can be concluded that chronic diarrhea in infants and children is associated with lower levels of serum zinc and copper