Diagnostic value of bacterial stool cultures and viral antigen tests based on clinical manifestations of acute gastroenteritis in pediatric patients

Abstract

The study presented here aimed to elucidate the diagnostic value of bacterial stool cultures and viral antigen tests when performed based on the clinical characteristics of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. A total of 21 (11.2%) bacterial and 74 (39.6%) viral infections affecting 187 children under the age of 3 years was investigated. Blood (p<0.001) and mucus (p=0.014) in the stool and a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of >or=50 mg/l (p=0.006) were more significantly associated with gastroenteritis of bacterial rather than viral origin. Vomiting (p<0.001) was significantly associated with viral gastroenteritis. Among children with bloody stool, culture grew a Salmonella spp. in 35% and for vomiting children, stool antigen tests detected rotavirus in 60% of cases. In conclusion, etiologic tests to determine the cause of childhood gastroenteritis according to their characteristic clinical features or laboratory test results, or both, are of low diagnostic value.

Rotavirus and adenovirus frequency among patients with acute gastroenteritis and their relationship to clinical parameters: a retrospective study in Turkey

“…Presence of fever is one of the most important clinical findings affecting the clinician's decision in the approach to the infectious diseases. In the clinical studies, it has been reported that fever is observed more frequently in rotavirus gastroenteritis compared to the other viral agents [14,18,25-27]. We did not find any difference regarding fever between the rotavirus cases and the rotavirus-negative cases in our study.…”

What is the 'objective' differential factor of diarrhea in infancy?: Normal state versus diarrheal illness in infants with chronic frequent and loose stool

“…Infectious diarrhea was defined as one of abnormal laboratory findings; a positive bacteria culture from stools or leukocytosis (≥15,000/mm 3 ) in peripheral blood or a C-reactive protein level of ≥5 mg/dL, and an improvement on antibiotics10). Lactose intolerance was defined as a fecal pH lower than 5.0, a resolution of symptoms on a 2-week strict lactose-free diet and the recurrence of symptoms after reintroducing dairy foods, all in the absence of any evidence of infection11).…”

Diagnostic Value of Determining the Level of Procalcitonin in the Practice of an Infectious Disease Specialist

“…Клиническая симптоматика бактериального гастро-энтерита в совокупности с высоким уровнем лейкоцитов в кале позволяет уверенно судить о наличии бактериаль-ной инфекции (чувствительность 74%, специфичность 94%) [34]. На практике, основываясь только на клиниче-ской симптоматике и микроскопии кала, дифференциро-вать бактериальные и вирусные гастроэнтериты удается не всегда.…”