The association between faecal leukocytes and pathogens present in stool of children with diarrhoea and dysentery

A total of 378 cases of children with diarrhoea and dysentery admitted to Yangon Children's Hospital from March to mid-September, 1996 were studied. The study population comprised 233 males and 145 females. Faecal leukocytes were identified under a high power field microscope by wet mounting of methylene blue staining method. Those cells clearly identified with either round nucleus or as polymorphonuclear were noted and degenerated cells that could not be clearly identified were ignored. The bacterial pathogens and protozoal pthogens were identified by standard methods. Faecal leukocytes were present in 31.2 percent of total cases (diarrhoea 28.5 percent, dysentery 45.8 percent). The association between the presence of faecal leukocytes and isolated pathogens from the stools was analysed. It was found that faecal leukocytes were seen in stools which were associated with Shigella (25 percent), Shigella and Entamoeba histolytica (71.4 percent), Entamoeba histolytica (29.6 percent), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Entamoeba histolytica (41.7 per cent), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (9.8 per cent ), Klebsiella spp. (50 per cent ) and Vibrios (50 per cent ).

Cryptosporidiosis among children with diarrhoea and dysentery from Yangon Children's Hospital

Cryptosporidiosis among children who attended Yangon Children's Hospital from March to October 1996 was studied. A total of 396 stool samples were collected after admission to the hospital. Simultaneously, a set of questions was filled to ascertain the duration and motion of diarrhoea of children. Stool characteristics were also recorded. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by staining with Kinyoun's acid modified method by Haley and Standard 1973. Random samples of 238 male and 158 female children of ages ranging from one month to ten years old were included in this study. It was found that the duration of diarrhoea ranged from one to 150 days. Number of motions also ranged from one to 40 times per day. Diarrhoea with either blood or mucous (dysentery) was found in 61 cases (15.4 per cent). cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 5 cases (1.3 per cent) of children; three were from watery diarrhoea cases and two from dysentery cases. From the cases detected, the age range was from 10 months to five years and the duration of illness was from 3 to 30 days. Four cases were with moderate degree of dehydration and one case was associated with HIV infection.