Acute diarrheal disease in children under five years of age in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

A follow-up study was conducted in 859 children younger than 5 years who were treated for acute diarrhea at the Diarrhoea Control Center, Dammam, during 1408H [1987-1988]. The purpose of study was to investigate the potential enteropathogens responsible for causing diarrhea among these children. An enteropathogen was isolated from stool samples in 52.6% of the children. Multiple infections were seen in 0.8% of the children. The most common enteropathogens isolated, in descending frequency, were rotavirus, Salmonella, Shigella, and Camplobacter jejuni, followed by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and nonagglutinating virbrios. Rotavirus infection was accompanied by respiratory infection and fever among 30% of the children. The most common parasite isolated was Giardia lamblia