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Prevalence of enteric pathogen-associated community gastroenteritis among kindergarten children in Gaza

Nahed Al Laham1, Mansour Elyazji2, Rohaifa Al-Haddad3

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Azhar University-Gaza, Palestine;

Journal of Biomedical Research
|March 7, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Gastroenteritis is a major childhood illness in Gaza. Parasitic infections like Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia were most common in young children, particularly those aged three.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Gastroenteritis is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, especially in developing regions.
  • Community gastroenteritis poses a significant public health challenge in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
  • Understanding the prevalence of enteric pathogens is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of enteric pathogens causing community gastroenteritis among kindergarten children in Gaza.
  • To identify the specific parasitic, viral, and bacterial agents responsible for gastroenteritis in this population.
  • To compare pathogen prevalence between symptomatic and asymptomatic children.

Main Methods:

  • A total of 150 stool samples were collected from kindergarten children in Gaza.
  • Samples were analyzed for parasitic, viral, and bacterial pathogens using standard microbiological and serological techniques.
  • Al Azhar microbiology laboratories conducted the investigations.

Main Results:

  • Overall, 60.6% of samples tested positive for known enteric pathogens.
  • Entamoeba histolytica (28.0%) and Giardia lamblia (26.7%) were the most prevalent pathogens.
  • Symptomatic children showed a significantly higher prevalence (88.5%) of pathogens compared to asymptomatic carriers (11.1%).
  • Rotavirus (3.1%), Shigella (3.1%), and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 (3.1%) were detected at lower rates.
  • Mixed infections occurred in 11.4% of symptomatic cases.
  • Children aged three years exhibited the highest prevalence of gastroenteritis.

Conclusions:

  • Parasitic enteropathogens are highly prevalent, while bacterial and viral pathogens are less common among Gaza's kindergarten children.
  • Community gastroenteritis is significantly more prevalent in symptomatic children.
  • Three-year-old children represent a vulnerable group with the highest pathogen prevalence, highlighting the need for targeted public health strategies.

Keywords:
Gazacommunity gastroenteritisenteropathogenskindergarten

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