Acute infectious diarrhea in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Acute infectious diarrhea poses a significant global health challenge, especially for infants and children, contributing to high morbidity and mortality rates.
• Understanding the etiology and characteristics of infectious diarrhea in children is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the etiology of acute infectious diarrhea in children.
• To analyze the biochemical, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics of children experiencing fatal infectious diarrhea.

Main Methods:

• A study was conducted on 201 children aged 6 months to 14 years admitted to the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Tuzla between December 1999 and December 2000.
• Stool samples were analyzed to identify enteropathogens, with a focus on viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Main Results:

• Enteropathogens were detected in 51.3% of the children. Viruses were the most common (25.4%), followed by bacteria (21.9%).
• Rotavirus was the most frequently identified pathogen (23.9%), followed by Salmonella species (10%) and EPEC (4.9%).
• Highest morbidity was observed in children under 2 years old (70.5%) and in the rural community (68.4%). Rotavirus detection peaked in winter and autumn and decreased with age. Blood in stool was most common in shigellosis cases (22.2%).

Conclusions:

• The high incidence of acute infectious diarrhea in infants and children represents a significant socio-economic and medical burden in the Tuzla region.
• Rotavirus stands out as the predominant pathogen responsible for infectious diarrhea among children in this study population.