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Clinicopathogenic studies of acute diarrhea in children
1Li-Min Cai, Chang Zhang, He Chen, Wei-Ping Jiang, Wen-Xiang Mao, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First People's Municipal Hospital of Wenling, Wenling 317500, Zhejiang Province, China.
Insights
Identifying pathogens in children with acute diarrhea is challenging. However, measuring stool pH can aid in early diagnosis of bacterial versus viral causes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Acute diarrhea in children is a significant global health concern.
- Accurate etiologic diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and management.
- Clinical signs alone are often insufficient for pinpointing the causative agent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the specific pathogens responsible for acute diarrhea in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of stool pH as an early indicator of diarrhea etiology.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 368 children with acute diarrhea was studied over four years.
- Stool samples underwent routine examination, pH testing, and bacterial culture.
- Rotavirus was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- A high detection rate of 67.7% for pathogens and bacterial strains was observed, with 37.8% representing mixed infections.
- Vibrionaceae family (39.7%) and Aeromonas genus (26.8%) were the most frequently identified bacteria.
- Bacterial diarrhea cases showed a tendency towards basic stool pH, while viral diarrhea cases exhibited acidic stool pH.
Conclusions:
- Thirty-one distinct pathogens were identified as causes of acute pediatric diarrhea in the study region.
- Stool pH measurement demonstrates potential as a valuable tool for the early differentiation of bacterial and viral diarrhea.
- This simple test can support clinical decision-making in resource-limited settings.
Aim:
To identify etiologic pathogens of acute diarrhea in children and to determine the diagnostic value of stool pH.
Methods:
From May 1988 to April 1992, 368 children with acute diarrhea were studied. Fresh stools were routinely examined, and stool pH was tested with pH paper. Samples were placed in Cary-Blair culture medium and were sent to the lab for bacterial isolation and identification. Rotavirus was identified in the supernatant by ELISA.
Results:
Thirty-one pathogens and 385 bacterial strains were found in the 368 samples, with a detection rate of 67.7%, including 37.8% of mixed infections. Among the bacteria families, vibrionaceae was the most common (39.7%), and among bacteria genera, aeromonas was the most common (26.8%). In bacterial diarrhea, stool pH tended to be basic, while in viral diarrhea it tended to be acidic.
Conclusion:
There are 31 pathogens for children's acute diarrhea in this area. It is quite difficult to make an etiologic diagnosis only by clinical signs. However, stool pH is of some value for early disease diagnosis.
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