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Relationship between enteric pathogens and acute gastroenteritis disease severity: a prospective cohort study
J Xie1, A Nettel-Aguirre2, B E Lee3
1Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Insights
Rotavirus and Salmonella were linked to severe acute gastroenteritis in children. Viral pathogens were most common, but Salmonella was the only bacterium associated with severe illness in this study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Acute gastroenteritis is a common cause of pediatric emergency department visits.
- Identifying specific pathogens is crucial for understanding disease severity and guiding treatment.
- Viral pathogens are frequently implicated in pediatric gastroenteritis, but bacterial roles require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific bacterial and viral pathogens and the severity of acute gastroenteritis in children.
- To quantify disease severity using the Modified Vesikari Scale (MVS) across different illness timeframes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of children under 18 years with severe vomiting or diarrhea was enrolled in Canadian pediatric emergency departments.
- Molecular panels were used to identify pathogens in patient specimens.
- Disease severity was assessed using the Modified Vesikari Scale (MVS) at enrollment and over a 14-day follow-up period.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus (26.4%) and norovirus (23.6%) were the most frequently detected pathogens.
- Severe disease was significantly associated with rotavirus (OR=9.60), Salmonella (OR=6.61), adenovirus (OR=2.53), and norovirus (OR=1.43).
- During the follow-up period, rotavirus and adenovirus were associated with increased disease severity.
Conclusions:
- Viral pathogens are predominant in pediatric acute gastroenteritis presenting to emergency departments.
- Rotavirus, adenovirus, and norovirus were associated with severe disease, with rotavirus showing the strongest association.
- Salmonella was the only bacterium independently linked to severe disease in this pediatric cohort.
Objectives:
To evaluate the relationship between individual bacterial and viral pathogens and disease severity.
Methods:
Children <18 years with three or more episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhoea were enrolled in two Canadian paediatric emergency departments between December 2014 and August 2016. Specimens were analysed employing molecular panels, and outcome data were collected 14 days after enrolment. The primary outcome was severe disease over the entire illness (symptom onset until 14-day follow-up), quantified employing the Modified Vesikari Scale (MVS) score. The score was additionally analysed in two other time periods: index (symptom onset until enrolment) and follow-up (enrolment until 14-day follow-up).
Results:
Median participant age was 20.7 (IQR: 11.3, 44.2) months; 47.4% (518/1093) and 73.4% (802/1093) of participants had index and total MVS scores ≥11, respectively. The most commonly identified pathogens were rotavirus (289/1093; 26.4%) and norovirus (258/1093; 23.6%). In multivariable analysis, severe disease over the entire illness was associated with rotavirus (OR = 9.60; 95%CI: 5.69, 16.19), Salmonella (OR = 6.61; 95%CI: 1.50, 29.17), adenovirus (OR = 2.53; 95%CI: 1.62, 3.97), and norovirus (OR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.01, 2.01). Pathogens associated with severe disease at the index visit were: rotavirus only (OR = 6.13; 95%CI: 4.29, 8.75), Salmonella (OR = 4.59; 95%CI: 1.71, 12.29), adenovirus only (OR = 2.06; 95%CI: 1.41, 3.00), rotavirus plus adenovirus (OR = 3.15; 95%CI: 1.35, 7.37), and norovirus (OR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.49, 0.94). During the follow-up period, rotavirus (OR = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.50, 3.25) and adenovirus (OR = 2.10; 95%CI: 1.39, 3.18) were associated with severe disease.
Conclusions:
In children presenting for emergency department care with acute gastroenteritis, pathogens identified were predominantly viruses, and several of which were associated with severe disease. Salmonella was the sole bacterium independently associated with severe disease.
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