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Diarrhea in children: etiology and clinical aspects

E Palumbo1, M Branchi, C Malorgio

  • 1Clinica Pediatrica, Ospedale di Sondrio, Italy. emipalu2003@yahoo.it

Minerva Pediatrica
|October 14, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Rotavirus is the primary cause of acute diarrhea in hospitalized children under five. This infection may also be linked to higher uric acid levels, potentially due to dehydration.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology

Background:

  • Acute diarrhea is a common cause of hospitalization in young children.
  • Identifying the causative agents of pediatric diarrhea is crucial for effective treatment and prevention.
  • Rotavirus and Salmonella are significant pathogens in pediatric gastroenteritis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the etiological agents of diarrhea in hospitalized children under five years old.
  • To correlate clinical manifestations with specific causative agents of acute enteritis.
  • To investigate potential links between viral infections and biochemical changes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 402 children hospitalized with acute diarrhea (February 2003 - December 2006).
  • Fecal sample analysis using routine microbiological and biochemical tests.
  • Clinical signs and symptoms were recorded upon admission.

Main Results:

  • Rotavirus was identified as the predominant pathogen (77.1%), followed by Salmonella species (9.9%).
  • Mild dehydration was observed in 13 children, all with rotavirus infection.
  • Elevated serum uric acid levels were more frequent in rotavirus-infected children (4.3%) compared to rotavirus-negative children (1.2%).

Conclusions:

  • Rotavirus is the leading etiological agent in hospitalized children under five with acute diarrhea.
  • A potential correlation between rotavirus infection and hyperuricemia, possibly related to dehydration, was observed.
  • This study highlights the epidemiological importance of rotavirus in pediatric acute gastroenteritis.
Abstract

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