Etiology and Clinical Features of Acute Bacterial Gastroenteritis in Children Mananged at a Secondary Hospital

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Acute bacterial gastroenteritis (ABG) can cause more severe symptoms than acute viral gastroenteritis in children. This study was aimed at determining the etiologic trends and to examine the clinical characteristics of ABG in children. METHODS: We sent stool samples from the children with acute gastroenteritis who were treated at a secondary hospital located in Seoul, Korea between January 2011 and December 2014 to Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment to find the causative organisms. Clinical characteristics of patient were analyzed through a medical records review. RESULTS: Out of 664 stool samples, 183 (27.6%) yielded bacterial pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common bacterial pathogen, found in 72 cases (39.3%), even though it was only tested for since 2012. The monthly isolation rate was the highest (24.6%) in August. The isolation rate of Campylobacter spp. by patient's age group was high (16.7%) in the 12- to 18-year-age group (P =0.04). In patients with bloody stool, Campylobacter spp. was the most commonly isolated (31.0%, P =0.04). When comparing C-reactive protein, the Salmonella spp.- or Campylobacter spp.-isolated group showed higher values than the S. aureus - or pathogenic Escherichia coli -isolated group (5.7±0.6 mg/dL vs. 2.1±0.3 mg/dL, P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus, Salmonella spp., pathogenic E. coli , and Campylobacter spp. were important pathogens of ABG among children. Considering the differences in pathogens found according to age, a clinical symptom and inflammation index might be helpful in assuming the causative organism.