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. 2025 Apr 4.
doi: 10.1007/s13312-025-00030-8. Online ahead of print.

Utility of Fecal Biomarkers to Predict Invasive Nature of Acute Infectious Diarrhea in Indian Children

Prabhav Aggarwal  1 , Raghvendra Singh  2 , Masoom Nathani  3 , Sonal Saxena  3 , Oves Siddiqui  3
Affiliations

Utility of Fecal Biomarkers to Predict Invasive Nature of Acute Infectious Diarrhea in Indian Children

Prabhav Aggarwal et al. Indian Pediatr. .

Abstract

Objective: To determine role of fecal calprotectin (FC) and fecal lactoferrin (FL) in diagnosis of invasive diarrhea.

Methods: Stool samples from 75 children (≤ 12 years) with acute diarrhea were analysed using wet mount microscopy, culture, multiplex polymerase chain reaction, rapid tests for Rotavirus/ Adenovirus and quantitative ELISA for FC and FL.

Results: The mean (SD) FC levels (μg/g) [774 (626.59) vs. 213 (251.48), P < 0.001] and FL levels (μg/g) [7.95 (4.72) vs. 4.22 (3.91), P = 0.004] were significantly higher in children with invasive diarrhea (n = 38) compared to those with non-invasive diarrhea (n = 37). Cut-off values of FC > 243 μg/g (sensitivity 81.57%, specificity 67.56%, AUC 0.813) and for FL > 6.02 μg/g (sensitivity 71.05%, specificity 81.08%, AUC 0.732) have diagnostic potential.

Conclusions: FC and FL can aid diagnosis of acute invasive diarrhea.

Keywords: Fecal calprotectin; Fecal lactoferrin; Invasive pathogens; Pediatric population.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: My co-authors and I do not have any conflicts of interests to disclose. Ethical Approval: Ethical clearance was taken from Institutional Ethical Committee vide letter no. F.1/IEC/MAMC/(66/01/2019/No.94) dated 26.04.2019. Informed consent was obtained from the parent/guardian.

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