Aetiogical agents of diarrhea in children living in a malaria epidemic area of Kenya

ABSTRACT

One hundred and four fecal specimen of children under five years reporting to Malindi Hospital were analysed for diarrhoegenic agents. These included bacterial; viral and parasitic agents which may cause diarrhoea. Conventional methods were employed in this study. The children were also examined for malaria parasites. consistency of the stool samples was loose 49; watery 26; formed 16; mucoid 9 and 3 of the specimen had traces of blood. 29 of the children were positive for malaria. Detection of diarrhoegenic agents was as follows;- 1. Bacteria 34; the highest of these being pathogenic Escherichia coli 39; Salmonella 28; Shigella 28 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus 3; 2. Rotaviruses 28; 3. Parasites 10 which included Ascaris lumbricoides 44; Trichuris trichura 33; Giardia lamblia 22 and Entamoeba coli 11. Mixed infections were observed in 7 of the subjects. Aetiological agents of diarrhoea could not be detected in 30 of the specimen