[Bacterial diarrhea in infancy: epidemiologic study of 256 cases]

Abstract

Infectious diarrhoea are common causes of morbility in children. Although viral agents are responsible for the majority of cases of acute diarrhoea during infancy, bacterial infections are also well recognized as causes of them. 256 patients with diarrhoea due to a bacterial pathogen were studied to determine the importance of different epidemiologic factors. The study group comprised 151 boys (59%) and 105 girls (41%) aged between first month and 14 years. Family history of acute diarrhoea was found in 15% of children. 63,7% of them were hospitalized by the severity of clinical features. 32% of cases were detected in summer. Salmonella entérica was isolated in 45% of stool samples and Campylobacter spp in 33,2%. Clinical evolution of diarrhoea differentiated the patients into three groups: acute diarrhoea (95,7%), prolonged diarrhoea (3,1%) and chronic diarrhoea (1,1%).