Etiology of pediatric gastroenteritis in Rochester, Minnesota

The cause of diarrhea in a Rochester, Minnesota, pediatric population was studied by examining specimens for the presence of enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli and reovirus-like agents, in addition to parasites and other bacteria and viruses. Reovirus-like agents were detected by electron microscopy in the feces of 11 of 31 patients, but none was found from specimens collected during convalescence or from 16 asymptomatic matched controls (P less than 0.01). Infection due to reovirus-like agents occurred significantly more often during the winter months in patients 6 to 18 months of age. Vomiting and diarrhea most often occurred simultaneously. All patients recovered without significant complications or sequelae, although one child was hospitalized for 3 days. Mean duration of illness was 9 days. No enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli were detected from symptomatic or control groups. Our results show that of the 16 organisms detected in stool specimens (11 reovirus-like agents, 3 salmonellae, and single isolates of adenovirus and enterovirus), the reovirus-like agent was the most frequent (69%) and was the probable etiologic agent in 35% of the cases of diarrhea in Rochester children.