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Campylobacter enteritis in children in an urban community
1Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Zimbabwe Medical School, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Insights
Campylobacter species are a significant cause of childhood diarrhea, with Campylobacter jejuni being the most common type. A concerning 14.8% of isolates showed multidrug resistance to common antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Diarrhea remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children globally.
- Bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacter species, are frequently implicated in diarrheal diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter species causing childhood diarrhea.
- To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolated Campylobacter strains.
Main Methods:
- A laboratory-based, cross-sectional study was conducted.
- Stool specimens from children under five years old with diarrhea in Harare were analyzed.
- Culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed.
Main Results:
- Campylobacter species were the most frequently isolated bacterial pathogens (9.3%) from diarrheal stool specimens.
- Campylobacter jejuni was the predominant species identified.
- While sensitive to chloramphenicol and norfloxacin, 14.8% of isolates exhibited multidrug resistance.
Conclusions:
- Campylobacter species are a major etiological agent of childhood diarrhea in the studied urban population.
- Campylobacter jejuni is a significant contributor to diarrheal illness.
- High rates of multidrug resistance among Campylobacter isolates pose a therapeutic challenge.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of Campylobacter species as aetiologic agents of diarrhoea and its antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.
Design:
This was a laboratory based cross sectional study on the cause of childhood diarrhoea.
Setting:
Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical School in Harare.
Subjects:
Children less than five years old with diarrhoea presenting at primary level health centres in Harare.
Main Outcome Measures:
Patient's age, culture results, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.
Results:
Campylobacter species had the highest isolation rate (9.3%) of all the bacterial and parasitic enteric pathogens which were sought in the stool specimens. Children less than three years old were those most frequently infected with Campylobacter species. Campylobacter jejuni was the commonest Campylobacter species isolated. All the Campylobacter isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol and norfloxacin. A significant number of the isolates (14.8%) showed multidrug resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline and gentamicin.
Conclusions:
Campylobacter species are important causative agents of childhood diarrhoea. The age group affected most in the urban area is older than the age group in rural areas. Campylobacter jejuni is more important in causing diarrhoea than other Campylobacter species. There is a high rate of multi-drug resistance by Campylobacter species.