Etiology of acute diarrhea in children: diarrheogenic escherichia coli and other infective agents

ABSTRACT

During a 5-month period, a total of 92 children diagnosed as having acute diarrhea-together with 25 normal children [controls] were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 35.5 months, children had complained of diarrhea for an average 2.6 days prior to being seen and had an average of 5.5 stools during the previous 24 hours. Rotavirus was the, most commonly isolated pathogen, it was found in 21.7% of all cases of diarrhea. ETEC was the most commonly isolated bacterial pathogen, LT and/or producing strains were found in 19.6% of stools. Other categories of diarrheagenic E. coli were found, EAEC was responsible for 2 cases, while EPEC was isolated from 6 cases. Other common bacterial pathogens included Salmonella spp. found in 3.3%, Shigella. spp. found in 2.2%, and Campylobacter jejuni coli found in 4.3% of stool specimens. Bacterial enteropathogens were identified in 41.3% of 92 patients. Oocytes of cryptosporidium were found in the stools of 5 patients [5.4%] and trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia were found in the stools of 3 patients [3.3%] and 6 patients [6.5%] respectively. Mixed infections were found in 5 cases