ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To observe the occurrence of different etiological agents of acute diarrhea (AD) in stool specimens of patients and children in a control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 children less than three years of age with AD were studied as well as 100 controls, between November 1993 and May 1994. Stool specimens were collected in both groups and the following enteropathogens were searched for: Rotavirus, Escherichia coli (EPEC, ETEC, EIEC, EHEC), Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica. Statistical analysis using the exact Fisher test (at significance level p<0,05) was done. The mean age was 12,5 months, with more cases in patients less than 6 months (35%). Children were seen at the emergency section on an average fifth day after the start of the diarrhea. Most came from homes with basical sanitary conditions. Watery diarrhea was more frequent than bloody diarrhea with mucus, at a proportion of 4:1. RESULTS: Rotavirus was the most frequent agent: 21% in the AD group and 3% in the control group (p= 0,0001). Shigella sp was isolated in 7% of the AD group and none of the control group (p= 0,0140). EPEC was detected in 13% of AD cases and 7% in the control group (p= 0,2381) but the classical subgroups O55, O111, O119 were only isolated from the patients with AD. The other enteropathogens were infrequently detected or in equal proportion in both groups. Rotavirus and EPEC were the more frequently isolated agents in watery diarrhea, while Shigella sp was the predominant agent found in bloody stools with mucus. CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus was the most common causative agent in AD. The detection of Rotavirus and Shigella sp nearly exclusively in patients with AD confirms the high patogenicity of these etiological agents when compared to the others. Escherichia coli (EPEC) diagnosed by polyvalent sera does not confirm its respective diarrheogenic property due to isolation in the same proportion among patients with AD and controls. Monovalent antisera made possible the detection of classical subgroups of EPEC O111, O119, O55 isolated only from AD patients, confirming the already known high patogenicity of these strains.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To make a comparative analysis of clinical and endoscopic data in peptic disease in a group of children (CR) and adolescents (AD).MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 children and 76 adolescents with peptic disease were studied between August 1992 and November 1994. In all cases the diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic and histologic examination. Clinical data referring abdominal pain (localization, degree of intensity, chronicity and related symptons) were compared in both groups. Statistical analysis was done by the Fisher Test (significance value p< 0.05).RESULTS: Findings referring to predominance in the female sex (66% in group CR versus 70% in group AD), duration of pain between 2 and 6 months (40% CR versus 38% AD), intensive degree of pain (70% CR versus 83% AD) and presence of vomiting and nausea (42% CR versus 55% AD) were similar in both groups. Epigastric pain was predominant in AD (87%) versus CR (63%) with significant difference p=0.012. The endoscopic findings were normal in 30% of CR and 14% AD (p=0.052). Light to moderate gastritis was significantly more common in AD (72%) than CR (37%) (p=0.01). In the CR group, there was mainly antral nodular gastritis while in AD the diffuse form was more frequent. Bulbar duodenitis was present in 10% CR and 12% AD, but it was more erosive and serious in children. Peptic ulceration was found in 16% of CR (2 gastritis and 3 duodenal) and 7% AD (1 gastric and 4 duodenal) (p=0.067). H. pylori colonization was more frequent in AD (52%) than in CR (36%) (p=0.195).CONCLUSIONS: 1) epigastric pain is the main symptom in both groups; 2) endoscopic findings may be normal especially in the childrens group; 3) antral nodular gastritis is the predominant type in children while in adolescents it is diffuse gastritis; 4) H. pylori colonization is present in 1/3 of children and 1/2 of adolescents with peptic disease; 5) in both groups ulcers are more frequent in the duodenum.
ABSTRACT
A composicao proteica e imunologica do colostro humano foi analisada em termos comparativos entre as maes de recem-nascidos prematuros e recem-nascidos a termo. Nenhuma diferenca estatisticamente significativa foi encontrada em termos de imunoglobulinas e proteinas
