[Enteropathogens associated with acute diarrheal disease in children]

OBJECTIVE: Aiming a better understanding of the distribution of enteropathogens in Brazil, we have investigated the prevalence of enteropathogens in acute infantile diarrhea in children of low economic level from São José do Rio Preto, SP.METHODS: A prospective study with 196 children under age five, all with diarrhea, and 33 control subjects was conducted at Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto during 1995. This Hospital is associated to a Medicine School and offers free assistance to patients of low economic level who live in the area. RESULTS: Enteropathogens were identified in 48% of the cases and 27% of the controls. Shigella species were isolated in 21% of the cases, EPEC in 10.7%, Salmonella species in 5.6%. The other enteropathogens studied represented 12 % of the isolate pathogens from case children. In the controls 18.2% of atypical EPEC were isolated. Isolation of Shigella species increased with increasing age of cases and peaked in spring, whereas EPEC was common in early infancy and peaked in spring and winter.CONCLUSIONS: Among São José do Rio Preto children, Shigella species and diarrheiogenic E. coli strains (EPEC, ETEC, EAggEC, EIEC) were isolated throughout the year as a cause of diarrhea bringing children to a medical attention. Most of the pathogens were isolated in spring (mainly Shigella and Salmonella), so the temperature and humidity of the environment must be very important.