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[Causes of infectious gastro-enteritis in children in Dakar]
M F Cisse1, R A Ouangre, A Gaye
1Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie, Faculté de Médicine et de Pharmacie, Fann. Sénégal.
Insights
This study analyzed 1,157 stool samples from children with diarrhea in Dakar, Senegal, identifying common bacterial and parasitic agents. Enterobacteria, particularly enteropathogenic E. coli, were most frequent, consistent with the region
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Diarrheal diseases are a significant cause of morbidity in children under 15.
- Understanding the etiological agents of diarrhea is crucial for effective treatment and prevention strategies in endemic regions.
- Dakar, Senegal, has a known pattern of enteropathogen prevalence that requires ongoing surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and quantify bacterial and parasitic agents responsible for diarrhea in hospitalized children in Dakar, Senegal.
- To compare the prevalence of specific enteropathogens with historical data from the region.
Main Methods:
- Prospective stool sample analysis from 1,157 children under 15 years admitted with diarrhea between February 1983 and May 1988.
- Bacteriological examination for Enterobacteria (including E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, V. cholerae), Campylobacter, and Rotavirus.
- Parasitological examination for various agents, with a focus on flagellates.
Main Results:
- Enterobacteria were the most frequently detected bacterial agents (61.3%), with enteropathogenic E. coli (34.8%), Salmonella spp. (15.1%), and Shigella spp. (11.3%) being the most common.
- Parasitic agents were found in 30.6% of samples, notably flagellates (13.6%).
- Vibrio cholerae was rare (0.7%), while Campylobacter jejuni (0.8%) and Rotavirus (13.5%) were also identified.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms the significant role of Enterobacteria, particularly enteropathogenic E. coli, in pediatric diarrhea in Dakar.
- The prevalence of identified agents aligns with established epidemiological patterns in Dakar over several years.
- Continued surveillance of enteropathogens is essential for public health interventions targeting diarrheal diseases in this region.
Abstract:
Between February 1983 and May 1988, 1,157 stools from children aged under 15 years presenting with diarrhoea and admitted to a paediatric hospital in Dakar, Senegal, were examined for the presence of bacterial and parasitic agents. We looked for Campylobacter and rotavirus in only 245 and 111 samples respectively. Enterobacteria were detected most frequently (162/264; 61.3 per cent). Among these, we found 92 (34.8 per cent) strains of enteropathogenic E. coli; 40 strains (15.1 per cent) of Salmonella spp. and 30 strains (11.3 per cent) of Shigella spp. V. cholerae was present in only 2 faecal specimens (0,7 per cent). Eighty-one (30.6 per cent) parasitic agents were isolated, including a high proportion (13.6 per cent) of flagellae. Campylobacter jejuni and retroviruses were found in 2 (0.8 percent) and 15 (13.5 percent) stool respectively. The frequency with which these enteropathogenic agents were isolated remains in keeping with the global situation usually observed in Dakar for several years.