[Etiology of acute enteric infection in children with arid zone and effect of probiotics]

Abstract

Aim: To study etiologic structure of acute enteric infections (AEI) with isolation of hemolytic and enteropathogenic Escherichia and to assess the efficacy of probiotic therapy during infections caused by E. coli.

Materials and methods: Bacteriologic tests were performed in 245 children < 3 years old with acute enteric infection. Influence of Colibacterin and Bifidumbacterin preparations on the dynamics of infectious process was assessed.

Results: Hemolytic Escherichia, enteropathogenic E. coli, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. were isolated in 47.3%, 12.2%, 18.3%, and 1.8% of patients with AEI, respectively. The cause of AEI was identified in 77.1% of cases. Bifidumbacterin had good therapeutic effect on infections caused by pathogenic E. coli including its hemolytic forms.

Conclusion: Treatment with Bifidumbacterin improved state of the patients and resulted in suppression of growth of hemolytic Escherichia in the gut. Colibacterin had a good therapeutic effect in the group of patients with domination of staphylococci, enterococci, Proteus in the gut as well as in patients with isolated Shigella and Salmonella. Colibacterin is contraindicated in cases of colonization of the intestine by hemolytic E. coli.