Rotavirus infection and persistent diarrhea in young children

This study aimed at determining the role of rotavirus in the etiology of persistent diarrhea in young children. Stool samples from 96 children up to 5 years old suffering from persistent diarrhea and 70 matched controls suffering from acute diarrhea were examined for EPEC, salmonella, shigella and rotavirus. Rotavirus was detected in 8.3% and 25.7% of the cases of persistent and acute diarrhea respectively with significant difference in the rate of detection [P < 0.01]. This shows a more important role of rotavirus in the etiology of acute diarrhea, however its detection in cases of persistent diarrhea suggests its role as an underlying cause. Prospective studies are needed to clarify if there is a direct correlation between acute rotavirus infection and persistence of diarrhea

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection in preschool children in Ismailia

Five-hundred preschool children were randomly selected, children whose age ranged from 1-6 years were examined thoroughly clinically and their urine were tested for existence of infection both through complete urine analysis and culture in blood and MacConkey's agar. Children with positive urine culture describe the asymptomatic urinary tract infection [AUTI] Children in the rural community had statistically significant higher prevalence [14%] than those in the urban community [8%], there was no difference of statistical significance between the prevalence of AUTI in males and females. E. coli was the commonest organism in urine culture of the whole group of children in urban as well as rural communities. The same organism [E. coli] was the commonest among males and females. On search for the factors that may lead to the increase in the prevalence of AUTI, it was found that mothers' education, age of the child, besides his residency [rural Vs urban] affected significantly the prevalence. The gender of the child and his [her] father's education did not significantly affect the prevalence of AUTI Children's physical growth and sanitary water supply and sewage disposal could not be assessed as working factors

Risk factors for persistent diarrhea among Egyptian children in the Suez Canal Area

A case control study was conducted in the pediatrics departments of Isamilia and Port-Said general hospitals aiming at identifying the risk factors that predispose to persistent diarrhea in children less than five years. Persistent diarrhea was defined as diarrhea lasting for 14 days or more. Consecutive sample of 76 child suffering from persistent diarrhea, and a similar number of age matched controls with acute diarrhea, for less than seven days, were included in the study. The study showed that preexisting malnutrition and early stoppage of breast feeding before the first six months of life were significantly associated with increased risk of developing persistent diarrhea. Furthermore, persistent diarrhea was significantly associated with the use of antidiarrheal or antiprotozoal drugs before presentation to the hospital. Watery stools was more encountered with acute diarrheal episodes. Some potential pathogens were isolated from the stool of the children with acute and persistent diarrhea, however, Giardia lamblia and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli [EPEC] were frequently found in a similar proportions of both acute and persistent diarrheal episodes