Breast feeding may protect children against campylobacter jejuni associated diarrhoea

ABSTRACT

Several new organisms including Aeromonas and Campylobacter jejuni have been added to the list of diarrhoea causing bacterial agents during the last decade. The present study was undertaken to investigate the bacterial aetiology of infantile diarrhoea in Karachi. Effect of different epidemiological factors on the frequency of these infections was also studied. One hundred and eighty rectal swab samples were collected from patients attending the Diarrhoea Unit at the National Institute of Child Health, Karachi and out patient Department of the Abbassi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. The samples were processed according to standard procedures. C. Jejuni and A. hydrophila were found to be the most common bacterial agents of infantile diarrhoea in Karachi followed by S. typhi and Sh. dysentriae. Breast fed children were found to be completely protected against C. jejuni infection, and they were at a lower risk of other diarrhoea causing bacterial infections as compared to those who were fed by bottle milk. Unboiled water used for the preparation of infant milk formula was found to be the major factor involved in the epidemiology of infectious diarrhoea