Trends in the treatment of acute diarrhoeas in infancy.

PIP: Focus is on studies of acute diarrheal diseases that have been conducted at the Pediatric Center in Bombay, India and at other Indian centers. The objective is to present the picture of acute diarrheal disease in infancy as seen in a large developing country like India. Of a total admission of 16,252 cases over a 5-year period, 2835 were of acute diarrhea, constituting 17.3% of the total admissions. 89.1% of these cases occurred under age 2; 10.9% were in the age group of 3-12 years. There were 440 deaths in 2835 cases, i.e. the mortality rate in diarrhea was 15.5%, but it varied from 12-19% in a 5-year period. Of a total of 2088 deaths due to all cases in a 5-year period, diarrhea was responsible for 21%. Bacteriological and virological studies in a series of 642 cases studied throughtout India showed pathogenic organisms in 19.7% to 69.7% of cases and non-pathogenic organisms 15.2% to 80.3%. Bacteriological and virological studies of the stools revealed presence of specific type of E. coli in majority, and shigella, strepto- and staphylococci in a few cases. The incidence of malnutrition is very high in acute diarrhea and the importance of correction of nutritional deficits cannot be over stressed. The great hope lies in prevention of diarrhea by improvement in nutrition of children, prevention of malnutrition, improved sanitation, environmental conditions and health education.^ieng