The etiological characteristics of diarrhea in Xiangyang City, 2013-2017 / 公共卫生与预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To understand the etiological features of diarrhea in Xiangyang city and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of diarrhea. Methods A total of 1 142 stool samples were collected from diarrheal patients admitted to the First People's Hospital of Xiangyang from 2013 to 2017 anwere tested for pathogens. The pathogenic composition, population characteristics and time distribution of diarrheal patients were analyzed. Results Of the 1 142 diarrheal patients, 737 patients (64.54%) were tested negatively. Of the 405 patients tested positively, adenovirus was the most prevalent, with proportion of 38.27% (155 patients), followed by norovirus and rotavirus. Only 20 patients (4.94%) were tested as bacterial infection. Infectious diarrhea showed obvious seasonality, with largest infectious proportion in April-June. Patients younger than 1 year old were the most susceptible to infectious diarrhea and the proportion was 29.63% (120 patients). Conclusions The majority of infectious diarrhea was viral diarrhea, and the main pathogen was adenovirus and norovirus. Only a very small proportion of diarrhea was due to bacterial infection. The guidance for infant's feeding and the surveillance and control of virus diarrhea for infants should be strengthened.