High Burden of Co-Infection with Multiple Enteric Pathogens in Children Suffering with Diarrhoea from Rural and Peri-Urban Communities in South Africa
Natasha Potgieter,
Lee Heine,
Jean Pierre Kabue Ngandu,
Solanka Ellen Ledwaba,
Tinyiko Zitha,
Lutendo Sylvia Mudau,
Piet Becker,
Afsatou Ndama Traore,
Tobias George Barnard
Affiliations
Natasha Potgieter
One Health Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Lee Heine
Water and Health Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2094, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Jean Pierre Kabue Ngandu
One Health Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Solanka Ellen Ledwaba
One Health Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Tinyiko Zitha
One Health Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Lutendo Sylvia Mudau
Dept of Environmental Health, Faculty of Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0183, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Piet Becker
Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Afsatou Ndama Traore
One Health Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Tobias George Barnard
Water and Health Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2094, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Infectious diarrhoea contributes to high morbidity and mortality in young children from sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of single and multiple diarrhoeal-causing pathogen combinations in children suffering from diarrhoea from rural and peri-urban communities in South Africa. A total of 275 diarrhoea stool specimens were collected between 2014 and 2016 from Hospitals and Primary Health Care clinics. The BioFire® FilmArray® Gastrointestinal panel was used to simultaneously detect 22 diarrhoea pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites) known to cause diarrhoea. A total of 82% (226/275) enteric pathogens were detected in the stool specimens. The two most detected bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens each included: EAEC (42%), EPEC (32%), Adenovirus F40/41 (19%), Norovirus (15%), Giardia (8%) and Cryptosporidium (6%), respectively. Single enteric pathogen infections were recorded in 24% (65/275) specimens with EAEC, and Norovirus was found in 26% (17/65) and 14% (9/65) of the specimens, respectively. Multiple enteric pathogen combinations were recorded in 59% (161/275) of the stool specimens with 53% (85/161) containing two pathogens, 22% (35/161) containing three pathogens and 25% (41/161) containing four or more pathogens. The results from this study demonstrated the complex nature of pathogen co-infections in diarrhoeal episodes which could have an impact on treatment effectiveness.
