Serum and urinary IgA in persistent diarrhea

ABSTRACT

The study included 120 children aged 3-36 months randomly selected from Outpatient Clinic in El-Menia University Hospital. Fifty of them were suffering from persistent diarrhea [PD], 50 children with acute diarrhea [AD], and 20 healthy children as controls. They were subjected to thorough history and full clinical examination. Stool examination was done for pH, reducing substances, cultures for causative bacteria, and antigenantibody detection of Rota virus. Urine was examined for secretory IgA. Blood was examined for serum IgA. Measurement of IgA was done in 30 cases with PD, 20 cases with AD, and controls. Cases with AD had significantly higher serum and urinary IgA than controls. Cases with PD had significantly lower serum and urinary IgA than controls. Cases with viral PD had significantly lower serum and urinary IgA than cases with bacterial or parasitic PD. Rota virus may be the main microorganism responsible for carbohydrate intolerance in PD cases. Significant positive correlations between serum and urinary IgA were detected in the studied cases and in controls