Aetiology of acute gastroenteritis in children in Najran region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Gastroenteritis is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of bacterial, viral and parasitic aetiology of gastroenteritis in children aged < 5 years in the Najran region, southwestern Saudi Arabia, to determine the contribution of these enteropathogens in childhood diarrhoeal diseases and to put forward effective preventive measures for controlling the disease in the future. Design and Setting: A descriptive study conducted at Najran Maternity and Children's Hospital and the Microbiology Department of the Najran University College of Applied Medical Sciences from October 2011 to June 2012. Patients and Methods: Stool samples were collected from 326 children aged ≤ 5 years with diarrhoea and examined for bacterial, viral and parasitic enteropathogens. Results: Seventy-two (22.1%) samples were positive for viral pathogens, including 56 (17.2%), 12 (3.7%) and 4 (1.2%) samples for rotavirus, adenovirus and astrovirus, respectively. Thirty-five (10.7%) samples were positive for bacterial pathogens, including 28 (8.6%) and 7 (2.1%) samples for Salmonella and Shigella spp. isolates, respectively. Pathogenic parasites were detected in only 4 (1.2%) samples, including 3 (0.9%) Giardia lamblia and 1 (0.3%) Entamoeba histolytica isolates. Conclusions: Rotavirus is the most common pathogen in paediatric acute gastroenteritis in the Najran region. This fact, in combination with the severity of the infections, warrants consideration of a rotavirus vaccine in the childhood immunization program in Saudi Arabia. On the basis of clinical and laboratory parameters, it appears possible to distinguish between the different causative agents of acute gastroenteritis.

Evaluation of C-Reactive Protein in Iraqi Children Presented with Acute Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli Associated Diarrhea with Special Emphasis to Age and Gender

“…Affected males represent 53.1% and 46.9% were females which come in line with (19).The mean CRP level 46.88 ± 33.72 mg/dl , which considered higher than other reports (20,21).In current study ,EPEC1 and EPEC3 not detected in all patients. EPEC2 was isolated from (21.9%) of infected children while EPEC4 was recovered from (18.8%) which come in agreement with previous study in Kut city, Iraq (22) .…”

High Frequency of Enteric Protozoan, Viral, and Bacterial Potential Pathogens in Community-Acquired Acute Diarrheal Episodes: Evidence Based on Results of Luminex Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel Assay

“…Fareid et al [ 15 ] identified enteric parasites in 50.4% and bacterial isolates in 88% of 160 schoolchildren presented with diarrhea based on conventional microscopy and stool cultures. Moreover, estimates of 34–46% have been reported for viral, bacterial, and parasitic causes of diarrhea in children less than 5 years [ 16 – 18 ]. However, the difference in populations, targeted and the methodologies adopted in these studies make the comparison problematic.…”

“…Among the 9 bacteria studied, Salmonella , STEC, ETEC, and Campylobacter spp., E. coli 0157, and Shigella were isolated, with an estimated prevalence rate of 10%. Estimates between 10% and 30% have been reported based on culture methods [ 16 , 18 ]. No cases for Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia enterocolitica , or Clostridium difficile toxin A/B were identified.…”

Childhood Diarrhoea in the Eastern Mediterranean Region with Special Emphasis on Non-Typhoidal Salmonella at the Human–Food Interface

“…In Saudi Arabia, cross-sectional studies have investigated the prevalence of pathogen-induced diarrhoea in faecal samples of children from hospitals and outpatient clinics in different localities. Among the different enteric pathogens found in these studies, rotavirus, Salmonella and Giardia lamblia were the most prevalent [27,28,29]. Studies conducted in Bahrain [30], Kuwait [31] and Oman [32] (Table 1) shared some common findings, with rotavirus and adenovirus found to be the major viral causes and Salmonella and Shigella found to be the most common bacterial causes involved in cases of child diarrhoea [31,32].…”