Determination of the prevalence of viral aetiology of diarrhea in children less than 5 years of age in Baghdad province

Abstract

Determination the prevalence of viral, parasitic and bacterial etiology of gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years of age with diarrhea in various hospitals of Baghdad province. A total of 250 stool samples were collected from various hospitals of Baghdad province .Samples were investigated for bacterial and parasitic enteropathogens using microscopic examination. Bacterial culture of stool samples was done in different culture media including MacConkey, XLD, DCA, TCBS and campylobacter media, TCBS and selenite F broth and bacterial growth was examined by analytical profile index (Api20E) system , commercial antisera and colonies characteristics. Enzyme immunoassays were used to identify Group A rotavirus ,Astrovirus and enteric adenovirus Out of 250, 106 children (42.4%) were diagnosed as viral infection of which Rotavirus was found in the majority of cases 91 (36.4%), Adenovirus was detected in 15(6%) patients. bacterial causes were 63 (25.2%) of which 36 (14.4%) were Escherichia coli (ETEC), 12 (4.8%) were Shigella flexneri , 6(2.4%) were Campylobacter jejunii and 9(3.6) were Salmonella enteritidis . Entamoeba histolytica 22 (8.8%) and Giardia lamblia 22 (8.8%) were the most frequent parasite which isolated from all diarrheal stool specimens. Also from total of 250 samples, 40 samples (16%) were dysenteric stool specimens (bloody diarrhea) and the most common pathogens isolated from dysenteric stool specimens were E.histolytica 22(8.8%), Shigella flexneri 12(4.8%) and Campylobacter jejunii 6 (2.4%). The current study revealed a high prevalence of rotavirus as most common cause of diarrhoea in children less than 5 years of age.