Decreased food intake in children with severe dysentery due to Shigella dysenteriae 1 infection.
Factors that affect food intake in acute shigellosis were studied in 82 children aged 24-59 months. Children were offered an energy-dense milk-cereal-oil-based diet every 2 h. Food intake was compared between children with Shigella dysenteriae 1 infection and those infected with other Shigella spp (predominantly S. flexneri). Mean energy intake in the first 48 h was 435 kJ/kg.d in children infected with S. dysenteriae 1 and 536 kJ/kg.d in children infected with other Shigella spp (P < 0.001). Febrile children ate significantly (P < 0.05) less food than afebrile ones (469 vs 517 kJ/kg.d). Food intake remained significantly (P < 0.001) less in children infected with S. dysenteriae 1 after controlling for the effect of fever. The results show that food intake is significantly reduced in dysentery due to S. dysenteriae 1 infection compared to that of other Shigella species; however, adequate calorie intake can be maintained by providing frequent energy-dense meals despite anorexia, fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Rahman
M M
MM
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
Kabir
I
I
Mahalanabis
D
D
Malek
M A
MA
D001831:Body Temperature; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012762:Shigella dysenteriae