[Diarrhoea-causing agents in children aged less than five in Tunja, Colombia]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Gastroenterology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Acute diarrhea disease (ADD) is a significant health concern in young children globally.
• Identifying causative infectious agents is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies.
• Previous studies have indicated various pathogens contribute to ADD in different regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and types of infectious agents causing ADD in children under five.
• To analyze the association between specific pathogens and age in affected children.
• To provide epidemiological data on infectious diarrhea in Tunja, Colombia.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 129 children under five with ADD.
• Fecal samples were collected from children attending outpatient consultations.
• Samples were analyzed to identify infectious agents including Rotavirus, Shigella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Giardia lamblia, and E. histolytica.

Main Results:

• Rotavirus was the most prevalent agent, found in 48.1% of cases.
• Other identified agents included E. coli (13.9%), Giardia lamblia (12.4%), E. histolytica (7%), Campylobacter (2.3%), and Shigella (0.8%).
• The prevalence of Rotavirus, E. coli, and Campylobacter showed a statistically significant increase with age.

Conclusions:

• Rotavirus is identified as the leading cause of acute diarrhea disease in children under five in the studied population.
• The prevalence of identified agents aligns with findings from other Colombian and Latin American studies.
• These findings underscore the importance of Rotavirus vaccination and targeted interventions for infectious diarrhea.