Kasmera (Jun 2019)
Etiology of the child diarrhea in Shushufindi, Ecuador
Abstract
Infectious diarrhea is a major global health problem; however, little is known about its etiology in the city of Shushufindi, Ecuador. The objective of this investigation was to determine the etiology of infectious diarrhea in children. 154 fecal samples were collected from children of both sexes who attended the laboratory of a health center during the period January-March 2018. Stool culture, direct parasitological examination and immunochromatographic assay were performed. In 124 samples (80.52%) the presence of enteropathogenic organisms was detected, of which 74 (59.68%) were positive for bacteria; 36 (29.03%) for parasites and 14 (11.29%) for rotavirus. The isolated organisms were: 35 (28.23%) Salmonella spp.; 26 (20.97%) Shigella spp.; 13 (10.48%) Campylobacter spp.; 15 (12.10%) G. intestinalis; 10 (8.06%) T. trichiura; 5 (4.03%) E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii; 3 (2.42%) A. lumbricoides; S. stercoralis and rotavirus 14 (11.29%), each one. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of parasites and the age and sex of the patient; as well as between the presence of bacteria and the age of children. This study demonstrates the participation of a small group of pathogens as the main causative agents of infectious diarrhea in the child population studied.
