Title: Clinicoetiological Study of Acute Diarrhea in Children under 5 Years Age Group

Authors: Shruti Dhale, Harshali Vankar, Jyothi Janardhanan, Sagar Walhekar

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i7.99

Abstract

Introduction: The trends of bacterial enteropathogens causing gastroenteritis keep on changing with change in standard of living and environmental hygiene. The definition of diarrhea depends on what is normal for the individual. According to K. Armon, diarrhoea is defined as a change in bowel habit for the individual child resulting in substantially more frequent and/or looser stools In developing countries.[1] 50% - 60% cases are of bacterial (Enteropathogenic Esherichia coli 25%, Campylobacter jejuni 10% - 18%, Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. 5% each), 35% of viral (15% - 25% rotavirus) origin, and in many the cause is unidentified or mixed.[2-5]

Aims and Objectives: To find out clinical features and study etiological factors of acute diarrhoea of under 5 years age group.

Methodology: A prospective study was done in a tertiary care hospital during the period of January 2017 to June 2018-12-05.All paediatric cases in the age group of below 5 years were included. A total number of 149 patients were included in the study.

Inclusion Criteria: All children presenting with acute diarrhoea in the age group of below 5 years of age admitted in paediatric ward.

Exclusion Criteria:

  •  Neonates are excluded
  •  Children who are critically ill.
  • Persistent diarrhoea more than 14 days
  • Malabsorbtion syndrome.
  • Diarrhoea due to metal poisoning (Cadmium, Arsenic, copper, mercury,etc.).

After selection, a complete history was obtained from parents, a through general examination and systemic examination was done and findings were recorded in a specially designed proforma. Data analysis was done with use of SPSS and EXCEL Graphs and tables were prepared by MS-EXCEL. A p value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: In this study 6mo-1 year age group children were highly affected (47 %) with no sex predilection. Among the common organisms isolated 55% were Ecoli, 4.7% were K.pneumonia, 2%were enterococcus species, 1.4% were shigella flexneri species. As per the previous records Rotavirus caused majority of the childhood diarrhoea. Due to lack of facilities in the institution isolation of 74 rotavirus and recognised classes of Escherichia coli (EPEC, ETEC, EHEC, EAEC and EIEC) could not be done. It was observed that out of all 50% of S. flexneri suffered from severe dehydration, 28.6% of all k. pneumonia were severily dehydrated followed by 23.2% of all ecoli. [p value <0.0001(very highly significant)].  In Class V SES 44.4% suffered from severe dehydration, class IV 21.4% suffered from severe dehydration. In grade IV malnutrition 57.1% suffered from some dehydration and 42.9% suffered from severe dehydration. Fever is the predominant symptom making 53.7% of all diarrheal patients. Association of fever presented in 100% of cases of of shigella flexneri, 66.7% of enterococcus species presented with fever, 65.9% of ecoli followed by 57.1% of K. pneumoniae followed by commensals. [p value <0.002(highly significant)]. Hyponatremia was common finding in all children. Mean sodium of 123 was found with severe dehydration with SD 3.255, in AGE with some dehydration mean sodium was 127.77 with SD 2.860 and in AGE with no dehydration mean sodium was 130.28 and SD 2.058.This association of serum sodium and severity was significant. Uremia and metabolic acidosis were other common findings in our study. Cotrimoxazole showed highest resistance among all organisms.100%with shigella flexneri, E.coli 63.4%, 57.14% K. pneumonia. 

Conclusion:  This study will help us in better understanding of diarrheal disease. Emphasis should be given to behavioral factors, such as improved access to sanitation, promotion of young child feeding practices, hygienic practices, and implementation of vaccines against etiologic agents, which are the burden of disease severity and also malnutrition as a whole.

Keywords: diarrhea, dehydration , shigella, E.coli.

References

  1. Urio EM, Collison EK, Gashe BA, Sebunya TK and Mpuchane S. Shigella and Salmonella strains isolated from children under 5 years in Gaborone, Botswana, and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Trop Med Int Health 2001; 6(1): 55–9. 2.
  2. Kosek M, Bern C, Guerrant RL. The global burden of diarrhoeal disease, asestimated from studies published between 1992 and 2000. Bull World HealthOrgan 2003; 81 (3): 197-2043.
  3. Vesikari T and Torun B. Diarrheal Diseases. In: Kari SL, Staffan B, MakelPH, Miikka P, editors. Health and Disease in developing countries. Macmillan Education Ltd. London and Oxford, 1994.p.136-46.
  4. Jensen PK, Jayasinghe G, van der Hoek W, Cairncross S, Dalsgaard A. Isthere an association between bacteriological drinking water quality and childhood diarrhea in developing countries? Trop Med Int Health; 2004; 9(11): 1210–15.
  5. Lee WS, Puthucheary SD. Bacterial enteropathogens isolated in childhood diarrhoea – the changing trends. Med J Malaysia. 2002;57:1.
  6. C. Cheng, J. R. McDonald and N. M. Thielman, “Infectious Diarrhea inDeveloped and Developing Countries,” Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, Vol. 39, No. 9, 2005, pp. 757-773E.
  7. Elliott, “Acute Gastroenteritis in Children,” British Medical Journal (BMJ),Vol. 334, No. 7583, 2007, pp. 35-40. doi:10.1136/bmj.39036.406169.80
  8. E. Wilson, “Diarrhea in Non travelers: Risk and Etiology,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 41, No. 8, 2005 pp. S541-S560.doi:10.1086/43294980
  9. A. Cunliffe, P. E. Kilgore, J. S. Breasee, et al., “Epidemiology of Rotavirus Diarrhea in Africa: A Review to Assess the Need for Rotavirus Immunization,” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 76, No. 5,1998, pp. 525-537.
  10. Naghipour, T. Nakgomi and O. Nakagomi, “Issues with Reducing the Rotavirus Associated Mortality by Vaccination in Developing Countries,” Vaccine, Vol.26,No.26,2008, pp.3236-3241. doi:10.1016/ j.vaccine. 2008.04.004.
  11. Molbak K. The epidemiology of diarrheal diseases in early childhood: Areview of community studies in Guinea-Bissau. University of Copenhaghen,2000
  12. Woldemicael G. Diarrheal morbidity among children in Eritrea: environmentaland socio-economic determinants. J Health Popul Nutr; 2001; 19 (2): 83-90.
  13. Khanduja PC, Bhargava SK: Etiological aspects of diarrhoea in infants and children under 5yrs.Indian J pediatrics 1969; 36: 237.
  14. Sood S. Etiology of diarrhoea in infancy. Indian J. Ch.Hlth, 1963; 12: 727.
  15. Gerald T. Keusch, O F and Alok B (2001). Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 371-388.
  16. Rasania SK, Singh D, Pathi S, Singh S. Knowledge and Attitude of mothers about ORS in few urban slum of Delhi. Health and Population –Perspectives and issues 28(2): 100-107,2005.
  17. Diarrhoea: Why children are still dying and what can be done’ UNICEF/ WHO joint report on preventing and treating the second leading killer of children, http://www.unicef.org/health/index_51412.html).
  18. Joshi CK, Bharadwaj AK, Vyas BL .study of bacterial infantile diarrhoea. Indian J Pediat.1980; 47:307-310.
  19. K, Shrinivasa. B. M, Vatsala Kumari Clinical and bacteriological Study Of Acute Diarrhoea In Children, Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences/ Volume 2/ Issue 23/June 10, 2013 Page 4231.
  20. Monika Pathania et al., Clinical Study of Acute Childhood Diarrhea Causedby Bacterial Enteropathogens journal of clinical and diagonostic research2015 May vol8(5).
  21. World Health organisation (1991) indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices. WHO Press Washington D.C.WHO Publications.
  22. Hussain Z, Khan N (2017) Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Bottle-Fed Infants and the Prevalence of Infections, Allergy and Diarrhea among Bottle Fed Infants and Its Comparison with Exclusively Breast Fed Infants Aged 0-6 Months. J Pediatr Neonatal Care 6(4): 00249 DOI:10.15406/jpnc.2017.06.00249.
  23. Farzanaferdous Severity of Diarrhea and Malnutrition among Under Five-Year-Old Children in Rural Bangladesh the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2013.
  24. Samadi AR, Wahed MA, Islam MR, Ahmed SM. Consequences of hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia in children with acute diarrhoea in Bangladesh. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed)1983; 286:671-3.
  25. Chouchane S, Fehri H, Chouchane C, Merchaoui Z, Seket B, Haddad S, etal. Hypernatremic dehydration in children: retrospective study of 105 cases.Arch Pediatr 2005; 12:1697-702.
  26. Shah GS, Das BK, Kumar S, Singh MK, Bhandari GP. Acid base and electrolyte disturbance in diarrhoea. Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ) 2007;5:60-2.
  27. Mirza Sultan Ahmad Prevalence of Electrolyte Disorders Among Cases of Diarrhea with Severe Dehydration and Correlation of Electrolyte Levels with Age of the Patients Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2016, Vol. 26(5): 394-398.
  28. Daniel R. Diniz-Santos, et al. Epidemiological and microbiological aspects of acute bacterial diarrhoea in children from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Braz JInfect Dis vol.9 no.1 Salvador. 2005

Corresponding Author

Jyothi Janardhanan

M.D. Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics , Grant Govt Medical College, Mumbai

Postal Address: Kallelam house, Kozhummal, Kannur, Kerala, India