The Comparison of Clinical Characteristics in Three Types of Viral Acute Diarrhea in Infants and Toddlers and the Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Rotaviral Diarrhea

ABSTRACT

The most common causes of acute viral diarrhea in infants and toddlers are rotavirus, astrovirus and norovirus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate epidemiological data of pathogens obtained from stool exams and compare them with the clinical course in pediatric patients with symptoms of viral acute diarrhea and to investigate the clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) for acute diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Clinical data for three types of viral acute diarrhea were compared with the viral detection results by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Viruses were detected in 65.8% of subjects, with rotavirus being the most commonly reported in 63.3% of subjects. To examine the characteristics of each virus, a clinical epidemiological study was performed for 482 cases. Noroviral infection symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea in patients of all age groups. Dehydration in noroviral acute diarrheal patients was less common than in rotaviral acute diarrheal patients. The clinical efficacy of orally administered L. acidophilus in the treatment of acute viral diarrhea in infants and toddlers was also evaluated. L. acidophilus was a probiotic adjuvant in viral acute diarrhea in infants and toddlers.