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[Intestinal amebiasis in children. I. Etiological study of colonic lesions of the rectosigmoid colon]
Insights
Rectosigmoidal mucosal alterations are not indicative of invasive intestinal amebiasis in children. This study found Entamoeba histolytica in only 28 pediatric patients with diarrheal syndromes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Diarrheal and dysenteric syndromes are common in children.
- Rectosigmoidal mucosal alterations are often attributed to amebiasis.
- Accurate diagnosis of invasive intestinal amebiasis in children is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causative agents of diarrheal and dysenteric syndromes in children.
- To determine the characteristic rectosigmoidal mucosal alterations in pediatric amebiasis.
- To differentiate amebiasis from bacterial and viral causes of pediatric diarrhea.
Main Methods:
- Rectosigmoidoscopic and parasitologic examinations were performed on 253 children (2 months to 12 years).
- Bacteriologic and virologic studies were conducted on subsets of patients (112 and 20, respectively).
- Direct microscopy, staining, and culture techniques were used for Entamoeba histolytica detection.
Main Results:
- Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites were identified in only 28 out of 253 children.
- Enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated in 41 of 112 examined cases.
- No viral particles were detected in the 20 cases studied.
Conclusions:
- Rectosigmoidal mucosal alterations are not specific indicators of invasive intestinal amebiasis in children.
- Bacterial infections are a significant cause of diarrheal syndromes in this pediatric cohort.
- Further research is needed to establish definitive diagnostic markers for pediatric amebiasis.
Abstract:
A total of 253 children from two months to 12 years old, who had diarrheic or dysenteric syndromes, were studied from the rectosigmoidoscopic and parasitologic points of view. In addition, 112 and 20 of these patients were also studied bacteriologically and virologically, respectively. Only in 28 patients torphozoites of Entamoeba histolytica were found by means of direct microscopic examination, staining techniques and amoebal cultures. Enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated in 41 of the 112 cases examined. No viral particles were detected in the 20 cases studied. From the discussion of these results, the conclusion is reached that the rectosigmoidal mucusal alterations which have been currently considered as suggesting amoebal lessions are not characteristic of invasive intestinal amebiasis in children.