[Etiological study of acute gastroenteritis in children in Tunisia]

This study was aimed at identifying the relative importance of the various agents responsible for gastroenteritis and to contribute to the etiopathogeny of this condition. Four hundred and two samples of stools of patients and 209 of control subjects, all under 3 years of age, were submitted to bacteriological, parasitologic and virologic examinations. An enteral etiology of gastroenteritis was found in 50% of the children. It consisted of enteropathogenic bacteria in 11%, rotaviruses in 29% and both associated in 19% of cases. There was a significant difference between patients and controls for bacterial (p less than 0.0001) and viral (p less than 0.00001) infestation. The most frequently isolated bacteria consisted overall of Escherichia coli. Eighty-seven isolated strains of E. Coli were tested for their enterotoxinogenic capacities. Four strains were bearing the attachment factor (EAF) and 14 were toxinogenic. Shiga-like toxin (or vero toxin) was detected in 4 strains. Campylobacter was isolated as frequently in patients as in controls and was often associated with other bacteria or rotaviruses. The presence of parasites and candidas was not significantly different in patients and in controls. Giardia intestinalis was the most frequently isolated parasite.