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[Bacterial origin of acute diarrhea in Merida, Venezuela]

L E Vizcaya Delgado1, A Flores Carrero, J G Hernández

  • 1Laboratorio de Síndromes Gastrointestinales y Urinarios, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.

Revista Cubana De Medicina Tropical
|July 11, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial infections, particularly Shigella, were the primary cause of acute diarrheal disease in children under five in Mérida, Venezuela. Parasites and Rotavirus were also identified as contributing factors.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Context:

  • Study conducted in Mérida, Venezuela, from July 1993 to May 1995.
  • Included 464 stool specimens from children under 5 with acute diarrheal disease and 149 from a control group.
  • Specimens collected at the Pediatric Emergency Department of the Autonomous Institute of the Teaching Hospital of Los Andes.

Purpose:

  • To investigate the prevalence of bacterial, parasitic, and viral agents causing acute diarrheal disease in young children.
  • To identify the most common infectious agents responsible for pediatric diarrhea in the region.

Summary:

  • Shigella was the most frequently isolated bacterium (42.85%), with Shigella sonnei being the predominant strain (66.67%).
  • Other significant bacterial pathogens included thermotolerant Campylobacter, Aeromonas sp., and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.
  • Parasites were found in 6.5% of cases, and Rotavirus in 24.12%.

Impact:

  • Highlights the significant role of infectious agents, especially bacteria, in pediatric acute diarrheal disease in Mérida.
  • Provides epidemiological data crucial for public health interventions and treatment strategies.
  • Informs diagnostic approaches for managing diarrheal diseases in children in similar settings.

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